Foreign Love
by Vader'sMistress
Summary: Can a Soul love? Can a Soul feel? That reader is the question. Crossover with the Host by Stephanie Meyer. An alien force invades Earth when Henry is divorcing Katherine; to win the throne the Boleyns secure an alliance with this being but it has disastrous consequences for England and the human race.
1. The Promise

**The Promise  
**

**~o~**

_**Can a Soul love? Can a Soul feel? That reader is the question.**_

**~o~**

**February 18****th****, 1516, Palace of Greenwich, Placentia; London Borough.**

A mother was delivered of a daughter. She rejoiced. Although she was the male daughter they would have wanted she had done her duty to England and her home country of Spain. She had delivered a healthy child and "more" as her husband suggested would follow.

* * *

From above malevolent eyes watched as the couple entertained these thoughts of security. Neither of them had any idea the events that would unfold that neither of them could control. They would let them have this moment of rejoice then they would strike. The Soul aboard the ship Prometheus –named after the titan Prometheus who had stolen fire from the Gods and gave it to humans, thus his fall from grace- watched with jealousy, more than the others, as the self-styled King of England carried his babe from across the room to present it to his Cardinal, Archbishop of York, Thomas Wolsey. He had been monitoring them for quite some time and taken a great interest in the woman the ruler called his Queen.

_You will be mine_ -he whispered to the monitor. The Keepers told him it was time to move on. Preparations for their Second Coming, they explained. He looked at all the tanks where fresh newborn Souls and old slept, swimming in blue liquid. He could feel their collective conscience. All but one. As he reached the end of the dark metallic hallway, he pushed a button and the dark cylinder pushed down its metal curtains revealing shinier Soul.

His daughter, Wanderer. In a manner of speaking. She had been in more hosts than anyone could count and yet she had not turned lunatic or power hungry like the souls of her time. She was always aware of the risks that every new body brought but like the cold and callous being as her race was, she never let her hosts' emotions get in the way.

She would serve well.

He gave a nod to the Keepers guarding her cylinder to take her out of cryo-state. She would hate him for it, but he didn't care. Human emotions, he had been told by Aleera, his second in command, were powerful and it was better they learn now of them by feeling the most common emotion that humans felt –frustration –then experience them for the first time when they were in their new bodies. The experience, Aleera's _brother_ said, would send their new weak and frail bodies into a shock that would kill them as well.

It is better that we start getting familiar with such qualities –fear, anger, sadness, rage, and most commonly among this species –rage.

The middle two they were likely never to experience, as they were not creatures of emotion. They had evolved to the point they had no more use of them. Their sluggish bodies depended instinctively on survival, surviving through other races by inhabiting their bodies.

Aleera suggested they would have to start the first phase of their mission soon. His scaly head gave a nod and waved her away but she did not leave. Intrusive as her _brother, _she wanted to know everything.

He was watching at the monitor at the Queen who had aged terribly in contrast to her husband and his new interest, Anne Bullen –sister to his former mistress; (Though why he remembered this he did not know nor did he care, but briefly, he wondered: Could it be I am experiencing jealousy? He hoped not. If it was, that would endanger the mission, and they needed good able bodies to harvest this planet. This planet, which, unlike the rest was bountiful and would live on for billions of years until its sun grew too big, it would be consumed by it. But by then, the human race under the Souls' control would have colonized the entire universe, creating a peaceful coexistence between all the races within their control).

She spoke in their hosts' dialect he would have to make a decision soon regarding the fate of these people he'd become so interested on. Not wanting to be disturbed any longer he waved his reptilian hand on her and she finally left him giving a mock bow. The first of many, she said, that awaited him.

He rather liked the idea of being a _King. _It was not every day that his race found a race that was so submissive and eager to obey.

* * *

Toward the end of their invasion, they had planned they would not waste all their Souls on their new hosts. Most of them had been borne of hardship and were able bodies; they could reproduce and with their medicine their expectancy rate the woman would be allowed to survive and do what they knew best –which was giving them children, hosts so weak and the blank slates they needed to take over the humankind's next generation without much effort.

The first of these pleasure women was Mistress Boleyn. In her quest for power she had given them the tools necessary to replenish their forces. The self-styled Queen needed an excuse to get rid of the old, dour, ugly matronly Queen. What better than the self-styled angels from above? The old Queen was displaced. A new Queen was put in her place. And as soon as their end of the bargain was made, they exacted payment.

But Anne Bullen refused screaming vengeance would reign down on what she now called demons. The Souls revealing their hosts' true forms laughed and took her and the royal family to their facility. It did not take long to subdue them. Anne was the only who offered resistance and died before the Soul could take over her body.

It didn't matter to him. Anne had given them what they wanted; a child. The first generation of humans, fresh, it's mind blank; it would offer no resistance to possession.

And it was quick, painless. Whatever feelings the little babe had before she was plucked away from her mother's arms to die and be reborn as a cold Soul; were erased.

Elizabeth Tudor was born and with her the promise of a new England, a new dawn on Earth.


	2. Prologue

**The first parts are taken from the added prologue in the new edition of the Host movie tie-in; I recommend readers of the previous edition to download a sample or pick a copy and a read the prologue as I think it adds more to the novel than the previous edition did.**

**Enjoy,**

* * *

**Prologue**

**~o~**

"_Have you no present interest in any of the company … before you? Is there not one face you study? One figure whose movements you follow with at least curiosity?"_

_-Jane Eyre; Chapter XIX_

The Healer's name was Davidson Linacre; though it had not always been so. He had seen many worlds in his hundreds of host he'd been in. A number of course (as many other things his species often did) was largely exaggerated. If truth be told and you be bold to hear it, dear reader, it had only been two. But all of them had been of the same profession –more or less.

Now Davidson Linacre had to concentrate; he had no time to be nervous. He had done this a thousand times, some of his students could even say –he could do it with his eyes closed.

As the whispers of the students around buzzed in the far corner of the white operating room, his lips pressed together into a tight line. The expression felt out of place on a mouth more often given to smiling.

Linacre enjoyed smiling. His host had taught him many things of human physiology, but his knowledge was obstructed by his religious fanaticism and pragmatic character. Now, if I could only have peace and quiet, the Soul doctor thought to himself.

Henry, his regular assistant, had noted his grimace and patted his friend's shoulder.

"They're just curious, Sir." He said quietly, watching in awe as the Doctor did his work.

"An insertion is hardly an interesting or challenging procedure. Any Soul on the street could perform it in an emergency. These youngsters are overtaken by their hosts' emotions." It would have been better off we put them in more mature bodies. But then again –stopped the old doctor to think- older bodies would have meant more resistance. And the Souls did not have time for that. Nor did he, for that matter. He had to apply all his power of concentration and energies on the task that lay ahead.

"It is not just any insertion, this is the King's daughter and more so, a _grown human_. They've never seen anything of the sort before," Henry said, defending his colleagues whose eyes bulged as he made the incision.

Linacre paused and turned to his pupil, raising an eyebrow. "Are they blind to each other's faces? Do they not have mirrors?"

"You know what I mean! A wild human. A full grown human, living in the wild for so long and surviving. It's a bit of a puzzle isn't it? Nobody would have thought it possible of the King's eldest daughter…"

His voice was lost as Linacre returned his attention to his patient who laid out facedown on the operating table. Pity swelled in the old Souls' heart as he remembered her from his host's memories. A girl of five running around the palace, boldly stepping in her mother's defense as his father shouted at her that it was her fault, that God would not grant England a son because he'd married his brother's wife. And then he remembered the condition her poor, broken body had been in when the Seekers had brought her to the Healing facility. Such pain the Princess had endured …

Of course she was perfect now –completely healed. Bones mended, tissue re-grown. Linacre had seen to that.

"She looks the same as any of us," one of the students muttered, trying to get a closer look but he was pushed back by his taller companions.

Henry nodded to the fellow's assertion. "And when she wakes up, she will be one of us, too. Civilized and peaceful."

Linacre gave a small laugh. "You are too naïve like your host for your own good Henry." He momentarily raised his eyes to the other members in the room. "The soul we implant today deserves more respected than any of you ever had for her host, she does not need you men gawking at her this way. She'll already have far too much to deal with as she acclimates. It's not fair to put her through this." By _this_, he did not mean the gawking. Linacre heard the sharp edge return to his voice.

Henry patted him again. "It will be fine. Her Majesty, the Seeker needs information and-"

At the words _Seeker _and _Her Majesty_, Linacre gave Henry a look that could only be described as a glare. Henry blinked in shock.

"I'm sorry," Linacre apologized at once. "I didn't mean to react so negatively. It's just that I fear for this Soul, that's all."

His eyes moved to the cryotank on its stand beside the table. The light was a steady, dull red, indicating that it was occupied and in hibernation mode. (He sighed. His Majesty had decided against all opinion, to put his _daughter_ back to sleep. No doubt, the _Queen_ had something to do with it. It was only by the Spanish Viceroy –though there was no such distinction now between the races and nationalities- that he was convinced to release his daughter from her prison).

"This Soul was specially picked for the assignment," Henry said soothingly. "She is exceptional among our kind –braver than most. Her lives speak for themselves. I think she would volunteer, if it were possible to ask her."

"Who among us would not volunteer if asked to do something for the greater good? But is that really the case here? Is the greater good served by this? The question is not her willingness, but what it is right to ask any Soul to bear."

The healing students were now discussing the hibernating Soul as well. Linacre could hear them clearly; their voices were getting louder with their excitement.

"She's lived on six planets."

"No, I heard seven!"

"Please be quiet."

But they didn't heed the doctor's request.

"I heard she's never lived two terms as the same host species."

"Is that possible?"

"She's been almost everything. A flower, a bear, a spider-"

"A sea weed, a bat-"

"Even a dragon!"

"I don't believe it –not seven planets."

"At least seven. She started on the Origin."

"Really? The Origin?"

"Quiet please!" The doctor insisted. "If you cannot observe professionally and silently, then I will have to ask you to remove yourselves."

Abashed, the students fell silent and edged away from one another.

"Let's get on with this, Henry before I grow more gray hairs."

Everything was now prepared. The cut had been sterilized –as their equipment. The appropriate medicines were laid out beside the King's daughter. Her long auburn tresses were secured beneath a surgical cap, exposing her slender neck and the part where he'd cut. Deeply sedated, she breathed slowly in and out. Her white skin had barely a mark to show for her … accident.

"Begin the thaw sequence now, please, Henry."

The golden-haired assistant was already waiting beside the cryotank, his hand resting on the dial. He flipped the safety back and spun down on the dial. The red light atop the small gray cylinder began to pulse, flashing faster as the seconds passed, changing color.

Linacre concentrated on the unconscious body; he edged the scalpel through the skin at the base of the subject's skull with small, precise movements, and then sprayed on the medication that stilled the excess flow of blood before he widened the fissure. Linacre delved delicately beneath the neck muscles (his previous incision had done very little, since he had been constantly interrupted by the boisterous youths); careful not to injure them, exposing the pale bones at the top of the spinal column.

"The Soul is ready, doctor," Henry informed him.

"So am I. Bring her."

Linacre felt Henry at his elbow and knew without looking that his assistant would be prepared, his hand stretched out and waiting; they had worked together for three years now. Linacre held the gap open.

"Send her home," he whispered.

Henry's hand moved into view, the silver gleam of an awakening Soul in his cupped palm.

Linacre never saw an exposed soul without being struck by the beauty of it. You could call it if you must my reader, admiration for the divine. Their race was one of celestial beings –and inspired by his host's idea of the heavens and the spiritual, he considered now all Souls to be emissaries of the Divine.

The Soul shone in the brilliant lights of the operating room, brighter than the reflective silver instrument in his hand. Like a living ribbon, she twisted and rippled, stretching, happy to be free of the cryotank. Her thin, feathery attachments, nearly a thousand of them, billowed softly like a pale silver hair. Though they were all lovely, this one seemed particularly graceful to Davidson Linacre.

He was not alone in his reaction. He heard young Henry's soft sigh, heard the admiring murmurs of the students.

Gently, Henry placed the small glistening creature inside the opening Linacre had made in the human's neck. The Soul slid smoothly into the offered space, weaving herself into the alien anatomy. Linacre admired the skill with which she possessed her new home. Her attachments would tightly into place around the nerve centers, some elongating and reaching deeper to where he couldn't see, under and up into the brain, the optic nerves, the ear canals. She was very quick, very firm in her movements. Soon, only one small segment of her glistening body was visible.

"Well done," he whispered to her, knowing that she could not hear him _yet._

"Perfect, as usual," said the assistant, who, for some reason unfathomable to Linacre, had never made a change from his human host's name (or his last name for that matter), Henry Seymour.

Linacre sighed. "I regret this day's work."

"You're only doing your duty as doctor and healer."

"This is the rare occasion when Healing creates an injury."

Henry began to clean up the workstation. He didn't seem to know how to answer. Linacre was filling his Calling. That was enough for Henry.

But not enough for Davidson Linacre, who was a true Healer to the core of his being. He gazed anxiously at the human female's body. She had been a Princess once, a royal. Everyone venerated her, flocked to her, now she was just another Soul. Though not just any Soul, he reminded himself.  
She was in a peaceful slumber, knowing that this peace would be shattered as soon as she awoke. All the horror of this young woman's end would be borne by the innocent Soul he'd just placed inside her.

As he leaned over the human and whispered in her ear, Linacre wished fervently that the Soul inside her could hear him now.

"Good luck, little wanderer, good luck and … God speed. How I wish you didn't need it."

The body stirred, her eyelids flutter. She was doing battle inside against the hostile invader, but it was pointless. Their little wanderer would win and she would just be another memory.


	3. Awakening

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Tudors belong to history and Hirst's interpretation of them. The Host belongs to Stephanie Meyer. I only own the OCs and the plot.  
**

**A/N: I suggest you read Chapter 2 (Prologue) before reading this. This is a follow up.  
**

**The first portion of this chapter will be confusing to the reader, it deals in one place: Wanderer and Mary's mind. Italics and Bold will often refer to their thoughts and memory sequences.**

* * *

**Awakening  
**

**~o~**

_"It was not for him to decide the time and the place of its revelation. It was not for him to tamper with the natural order of things."_

_~ Elfstones of Shannara; Chapter 6_

With the truest instinct of her kind, she'd bound herself securely into the body's center of thought, twined herself inescapably into its very breath and reflex until it was no longer a separate entity.

Twice in succession as she adapted to her new surroundings and a whirlpool of memories came raining down on her, she heard that fearful shriek. Whatever uttered that fearful shriek –whether her host or the savages she surrounded herself with- could not repeat itself anytime soon. Nothing on the dozen worlds she'd been in (she thought) could send out such a yell.

She knew it would begin with the end, and the end would like death to these eyes. She _had_ been warned.  
Not these eyes though. _My_ eyes. _Mine._ This was her now, she thought.

The language she found herself using was odd, but it made some sense. Choppy, boxy, thick –what her host's species called a _Southern_ _accent_- and linear.

This was her now. **Her** body, no longer another useless body, but a body. **Her** body, now part of the structure –the very thing that sustained them all. **A Soul.**

She felt the effects of the sedatives the Healer had used wearing off. She had braced herself for the onslaught of the first memories; she had not expected they would _all_ come at once. Raw, furious, strong emotion. She yearned to experience it all –and at the same time control it.

Then, the last memory before her host's fall came at once. The one she had been waiting for. It was nothing she could have prepared for. It seared with sharp color and ringing sound. Cold on her skin, pain gripping her limbs, burning them. The taste was fiercely metallic in her mouth -and there was _something else._ And there was that new sense, that fifth sense she rarely had the chance to experience –all other species she had been in, had had it, but they were so emotionally weak, she had overpowered them and any memory that held this strong emotion, this strong sense was gone. This fifth sense, in this human that she mistook for just another host, another vessel to inhabit, was different.

She could feel the strong emotions taking place at the time of her fall.

_Run._

_Save yourself!_

_I will come back._

She heard. A lie, a blatant lie. All humans lie, they were used to. It came so natural to them as breathing.

The memory changed. She struggled to see the human figure in front of her. She could almost touch it, feel the smoothness of his skin. A he –she saw by the contours of his body, clearly male. Muscular but covered in thick furs, trying to appear brave before her. _Me now_, she insisted to herself. This was her now. No need to make any more distinctions. This was her body, and whatever past this being had experienced, it was gone. This was her body and the previous owner's memories were _hers_.

Possessively reclaiming ownership of her body, she pushed the memory away. In time –she said to herself- I will find who that human is.

Yet the memory would not be subdued and the more she pushed it away, the more it came back with full force.

_I am afraid, so very afraid. It's so dark I can't see the floor._ _She thought frantically. "Where are you?" She asked._

She uttered a name but Wanderer could not make it out, but, by the way her body's previous owner said it, Wanderer could tell of its importance to the young female.

_I'm lost, forever lost. She desperately thought. It's over, it's all over. They're right behind me now, loud and close. There are so many footsteps! I'm alone. I've failed! …!_

There was that name again. If **_she_** could only say it louder … more audible!  
Wanderer experienced the first human emotion –frustration. Not even when she was in the cryotank, aboard their overlord's ship, had she experienced such level of frustration.

The memory struck again. The emotions were getting stronger. Fear, frustration, sadness, longing –all at once.

_The Seekers are calling._ _The sound of their voices twists my stomach. The human thought. I'm going to be sick. No! Please … save me!_  
_"Mary!"_ _The mature male shouts but she turns away, shouting back "Go … please!"_  
_He grips her hand and brings her back to him. "I will lead them away!"_  
_"You can't outrun them!"_  
_"It's fine, it's fine," she lies and gives him a light peck at his lips. It will be the last interaction they have, the only thing close they ever had with one another, but in these moments, everything is appreciated, everything is valued._  
_"Be careful!" He shouts and runs away. She promises to return but the emotions of fear and rage overwhelm her as the Seekers close in on them._  
_There is only one chance I must succeed. She thought in desperation and now Wanderer feels what she feels. They are finally one but the merger is not complete._  
_She loses her grip on reality and shouts back for … (Again! Wanderer thought in frustration, the name had escaped her) … to come back but he never does._  
_Gone –she thought._

Hate shot through her veins, and a violent hatred nearly chocked her as –along with the human girl- she realized he would never come. He had left her. She had never felt like this.

For another second, her revulsion pulled her away from the memory.

A high, shrill keening pierced her ears and pulsed in her head. The sound scraped through her airways. There was a weak pain in her throat.  
_Screaming,_ her body explained. _You're screaming._  
But it was not her who was screaming, and searching, scanning, and looking at her surroundings.  
Wanderer realized she was still in the girl's memory. The girl was adamant not to let go but the pull of Wanderer was stronger than hers.

_No, no, no!_ The young woman screamed but Wanderer replied wit the same passion. These thought was hers now! And she fought to pull herself away from her, but they were together. One.

_No!_

"_Please"_ Wanderer looked at the human woman for the first time and separated herself from her. But it was not her she was screaming at but her captors.  
_"Come with us!"  
Fear races through her veins. I will not give in_ –Wanderer hears her think and pushing through the white dressed Seekers, she rushes to the window, and jumps …

_No!_ Wanderer panicked, feeling the memory engulfing her again, feeling the young woman's pain. Then she turned before the young woman's eyes closed forever; her last recollection of the man who promised he'd come, buried still in her mind, now hers.

The face was alien to her as the faceless serpentine tentacles of her last host body would be to this new body. She'd seen this kind of face in the images she had been given to prepare for this world but it was hard to tell each human apart, to see the tiny variations in color and shape that were the only markers of the individual. There was nothing especial about them, they were all the same. Noses centered in the middle of the sphere, eyes above and mouths below, ears around the sides. A collection of senses (all bothersome). But then there were the colors. The colors that ranged through the brown scale from pale cream to a deep almost-black. Aside from that, how could you tell one from the other?

His face though, she would have known among millions.

His face was a soft rectangle, the shape of the bones strong under the skin. In color it was pale, but not completely, there was some pink added to the firm jawbone. The hair was in accordance to the skin, fair, golden brown, turning a bright gold when shined in the sun or by any light, and it was short, cropped as his beard and moustache, so it did not give the impression of a long forehead. The eyes were darker than the hair, the irises a dark-intense blue. Her memories told her that the bags underneath his eyes were the result of sleepless nights and the lines were from smiling and squinting into sunlight.

She knew nothing of what passed for beauty among these strangers, what was handsome, what was not, yet she knew that this was face was beautiful. She wanted to keep looking at it, but as soon as she realized this, it disappeared.

_**Mine!**_ The alien voice spoke that should have been eradicated by now.  
Again, she was frozen, stunned. There should have been no one there but her. And yet this thought, this invading alien voice was so strong and so aware!  
Impossible. How was it the young woman was still here? This was her now. There should not be anyone else here. She should not have survived, yet Wanderer felt her presence in her mind, doing constant battle.

**Stop!** She yelled, intoning her voice louder than she intended. All at once the King's daughter's voice stopped, but she didn't cease to exist.

_She's still here_ –Wanderer whispered to herself. She would figure a way to get rid of her later. For now she would focus in invoking the memory of that beautiful male. Yet when she invoked it's presence, in its stead was another face, similar yet so different from the previous one. The similar features were in the jaw, the thin mouth, the rosy lips, the color of the skin, the shape of the eyes, the height –but it ended there. This new figure in all the rest was a complete contrast to the other male.  
Smiling, she could tell by the lines at each end of his lips, that he loved smiling; his eyes possessed none of the tired bags that the other male had and his hair was dark where the other light. His eyes a sapphire blue where the other ones were dark. She wanted to feel his touch but everything around her dissolved and she heard that voice again, yelling –_**Mine!**_

_Mine,_ she rebuked her, the power and authority that belonged to Wanderer alone flowing through the word. Everything is now mine.

_Is that so?_ She heard the sarcasm dripping from the soft, feminine voice. _Then why am I speaking back to you?_ Wanderer wandered the same thing but voices interrupted their thoughts.

* * *

The voices were soft and close and (though she was the only one now aware of them) apparently in the middle of a murmured conversation.

"I'm afraid it's too much for her, Your Majesty." One of them said. The voice was rough, old; male. "Too much for anyone. Such atrocity! It shouldn't have been allowed!" The tone spoke of revulsion.

"She screamed only once, I am not going to lay His Majesty's plan to waste because of a scream. We've all been through the same process and we've all adjusted." Said a higher, reedy, female voice, pointing this out with a hint of glee, as if she were winning an argument.

"I know," the man admitted. "She is very strong, her record is proof of that but with all due respect, trauma does not respect experience. Others have had much more trauma, with much less cause –and success."

"I'm sure she'll be fine, our little Soul was always one for theatrics. This is no different. I have full confidence in your abilities unless you prove us wrong again."

"Maybe you are not as good as our Overlord thinks you are." there was a subtle edge on the man's voice. But the other female laughed, giving him a sarcastic response.

"I doubt that. We Seekers make excellent mates out of all our species and taking into further account my host offered little resistance, further proves my point."

"That is true," the male admitted but she heard the deep intake of breath –he's nervous, her memory told her- as he spoke again, "but your judgments should be put into question."

"Who should be put into question is you doctor. I sometimes wonder if the infection of humanity has affected your judgment."

"And I sometimes wonder Your Majesty, if the infection of humanity touches those in your profession," the man mused, his voice still sour with annoyance. "Violence is part of a Seeker's life. I respect that, but does enough of your body's native temperament or your previous host's for that matter, linger to give you enjoyment of the horror you inflict on others?"

Wanderer was surprised at the accusation, at his tone. This discussion was almost like … an argument. Something her host was familiar with but that her species had never experienced.

The woman –Seeker and Queen, Wanderer told herself- turned defensive. "We do not choose violence. It is not freely given, nor do we enjoy it. But we give it when we have to. And it's a good thing that we don't waste our times in misconstructions of morality. Otherwise, none of us would be strong enough to face the unpleasantness of what we do, and none of you would be safe. Your peace would be shattered without our work."

"Once upon a time –where have I heard that before? You speak as of a parent to a child. But Your Majesty's vocation will soon run obsolete, methinks."

"The error of that statement lies on the bed there."

"One human girl, alone and unarmed! Yes, quiet a threat to our peace."

"Mock all you want. There are still many out there."

When neither of them said nothing, the woman gave a long sigh. "Where has she been all these years? How could she have survived? Last time anyone saw her was on Lord Rochford's execution."

"I remember that day." The man said in a grim voice.

"How did she appear in the middle of Sherwood forest? It's filled with trackers and Seekers, she should have known. From my host's memories, she was a smart one. Not the one to walk into a trap."

"That's your problem to solve, not mine," the man said. "My job here is to help this Soul adapt herself to her new host without unnecessary pain or trauma. And you are here to interfere with my job."

Still slowly surfacing, acclimating herself to this new world of senses, she understood only now that she was the subject of the conversation. She was the Soul they spoke of. It was a new connotation to the word, a word that had meant many other things to my host. On every planet her race took different names. Soul. Wanderer supposed it was an apt description. They did come from the heavens and brought peace and stability to their planet in exchange for their bodies.

"The answers to my questions matter as much as your responsibilities to the Soul."

"That is debatable."

There was the sound of movement, and her voice was suddenly a whisper. "When will she come to her senses? The sedation must be about to wear off."

"When she's ready. Leave her be. She deserves to handle the situation however she finds most comfortable. Imagine the shock of her awakening –inside a rebel host injured to the point of death in the escape attempt! No one should have to endure such trauma in times of peace!" His voice rose with the increase of emotion.

"She is strong." The woman's tone was reassuring now but Wanderer did not miss her scorn. "See how well she did with the first memory, the worst memory. Whatever she expected, surely she can handle this."

"Why should she have to?" The man muttered, but he didn't seem to expect an answer.

The woman answered anyway. "If we're to get the information we need-"

"Need being your word. I would choose the term want."

"Then someone must take on with unpleasantness. And I think from all I know of this one, she would accept the challenge if there had been any way to ask her. What does she call herself? Has she chosen a new name for herself? Her _father _insists on knowing."

"I did not think our Overlord would be so caring."

"He is not but I am, as her stepmother I demand to know."

"More like her jailer." He muttered under his breath, but it was so low that she doubted the woman heard.

The woman waited. The man didn't speak for a long moment.

"Wanderer." He finally answered.

"Fitting and very much her. She has always rebelled against choosing new names. Our Overlord will not be pleased but if this is what our little Wanderer wants, then our little Wanderer will get to keep the little insignificant name. In the end it's of no consequence. We've all taken new names and identities, but what truly matters is that we still serve our Overlord and work hard to maintain the peace among our race."

"She is one of a kind."

"That she is." Could Wanderer have been wrong? Had she heard jealousy in the woman's voice? No, it was something else. Something more sinister. _Bitterness_ …

"I don't care for statistics nor have the time to look through the official records, but she has to be one of the very few, if not the only one, who has wandered so far. Yes, Wanderer will suit once more … until she chooses a new name for herself."

He said nothing.

"Of course His Majesty would prefer that she assumes her host's name…"

"She won't take the human name," the man muttered.

Her response was conciliatory as her previous ones. "Everyone finds comfort in their own odd way, I suppose."

"Wanderer will need more comfort than most, thanks to your style of Seeking."

There were sharp sounds –footsteps, staccato against a hard floor. When she spoke again, the woman's voice was across the room from the man.

"You would have reacted poorly to the early days of this occupation, you did not experience the social mayhem. Humans, all savages, united against us," she said then gave a small laugh. Somehow her laugh brought chills down Wanderer's spine. "We crushed them of course but some remnants still remain."

"Perhaps it was the Seekers' choice of handling these matters why there are still savage humans out there."

The woman laughed again, but the sound was so false –there was no real amusement and her word cut deeper than a thousand knives.

"You do not have a clear perception of what my Calling entails. Long hours hunched over files and maps. Mostly desk work … among _other_ things. Not very often the conflict or violence you seem to think it is." There was something odd here Wanderer found in the end of her first sentence. The way she said other; Wanderer could almost picture a wicked smile on her yet unknown features.

"Days ago you and your personal guardian, Sir Francis, were armed with killing weapons, running this body down."

"The exception, I assure you, not the rule. Do not forget, the weapons that disgust you are turned on our kind wherever we Seekers have not been vigilant enough. The savage humans kill us happily whenever they have the ability to do so. Those whose lives have been touched by the hostility see us as heroes." She went on to add –"You do not know these wildlings as I do doctor. They've established covens throughout the globe, used our technology against us. At the very core of their being they are disorganized, poor and insensitive to one another's pain and jealous."

"You take advantage of their emotions, that's a new low even for your kind."

"We keep everyone's safe. You do not approve of our methods but until we can find better ones, they are all we have to prevent the humans from taking control."

"You speak as if a war were raging."

"To these savages it is."

These words were strong in Wanderer's ears. Her body reacted to them; she felt her breathing speed, heard the sound of her heart pumping louder than was usual. Beside the bed she lay on, a machine registered the increases with a muted beeping. The Healer and the Seeker were too involved in their disagreement to notice.

"But one that even they must realize is long lost. We wiped their entire civilization years ago when she was just a little girl. Who cares what these savage humans believe, but they are violent and as long as they are out of our reach they remain a danger to our society."

"Would you give up your freedom so easily?"

"They will keep fighting. It is in their nature." The woman said. "They are outnumbered by what? A million to one?"

"I imagine you would know."

"People should know when they are conquered." The woman simply said.

The doctor did not appear to be content to let his side of the argument being won by the Seeker. It was quiet for a moment.

Wanderer used the empty time to evaluate her situation. Much was obvious. She was in a Healing facility, recovering from an unusually traumatic insertion.

The verbal dissension between the Healer and the Seeker was out of character. Strangely aggressive for their kind. It made her wonder. Could they be true, the whispered rumors that had undulated like waves through the thoughts of the … man … Edward … the name finally came to her.

Edward.

Edward …

Strangely … she did not feel the attachment the previous owner obviously had for this male-handsome human. In its stead, emotions overflew her as the image of the other, darker, and –she considered- more handsome man, came to mind.

… What is his name? –Wanderer wondered. She had to know.

Perhaps she could ask the Seeker? Would she be honest with Wanderer?  
Souls did not speak anything other than the truth. Seekers, of course, because of their Calling, were entitled to do as they pleased. They shared some of the same liberties enjoyed by their Overlord –elected every thirty years- to lie and cheat, to protect their race.  
However, anchored as they were, her species did love telling stories to alleviate the boredom. Always with the truth, her species always valued the truth above everything. And Storytelling was the most honored of all talents. In the past there used to be a name for those who dedicated their lives to this. But it was lost through time as their race evolved and became more sophisticated, more dependent on their hosts. Yet, some collective memory of those golden, simpler, years, still remained.  
Sometimes, the little wanderer wondered, if she would make a good storyteller in this new world. She had a lot of stories to tell and from what she remembered of the archives their Overlord gave to her prior to putting her in cryosleep again; this race valued stories.  
Stories were at the core of their being; they were passionate about them and passion –she had been warned- was another reason why so many Souls were forced to abandon them. Hosts whose minds could not be completely suppressed. Souls who took on the personality of the body, rather than the other way around.

Stories, just stories. Wild rumors, madness, nothing more. Souls were too powerful.

It had to be a rumor started by the savage humans.

Her thoughts drifted to the Seeker. On Earth, the Seekers had gained a new status. Never before had an occupation become so privileged. Never before had an occupation had turned so fierce and bloody. Naturally the Seekers were called into battle and so they had become very prominent among their society, almost on equal status with their Overlord.  
Now that the danger was virtually past, it appeared the gratitude to them was fading, they –as the man predicted- had outrun their use. And, for this Seeker at least, the change was not a pleasant one.

It was easy to imagine what her questions would be. Though the Healer was trying to buy her time to adjust to her new body, she knew she would do her best to help the Seeker. Good service was quintessential to every Soul –and, Wanderer was an exceptional case. The doctor had said so.  
So she took a deep breath to prepare herself. The monitor registered the movement. It beeped louder alerting the two.  
She knew she was stalling but she was afraid of hearing the voice she'd hear so loudly in her head again. But she was silent now, as was right. She was just a memory. _Gone_, erased, nothing more.

Then she was overcome with an unfamiliar sensation. Crying, longing. As she struggled to get control of her limbs, she heard the words _Mother and Bessie, _all at once. Two memories, but the voice belonged to the same owner.

Then she hit a wall as she tried to escape from this second onslaught of memories. A woman, clad in black, black veil, black gown, black hair, stared back at her. But it was not her. It was the other entity.  
She is still here.  
She tried to confront her with one of her own memories from previous hosts but the human was strong, too strong for Wanderer.

She tried again. One more time, she had to do it –for her race. This time she succeeded. Too ease, she thought.

_**I let you.**_

Anger flashed through her, hot and wild. She gasped in surprise at the unexpected reaction. She'd heard of the emotional instability of these human bodies, but this was beyond her ability to anticipate. More so because this was her own reaction to finding out Mary Tudor had allowed her to keep her control. In eight full lives, she had never experienced this.  
Perhaps she should have waited. Well, there was no turning back now, even if she wanted to. Wanderer was not a quitter. She was here now and in time she would over power this entity.

The machines beside her reported the acceleration of her heartbeats. There wasn't any need to pretend any longer. Her body trembled, her hands began to move, and her eyes were beginning to open.

There was a reaction in the room: the sharp tap of the Seeker's boots as she approached her, mingled with a quieter shuffle that must have come from the Healer.

"Welcome to Earth, _Your Highness_." The woman said and a smile drew on her lips as Wanderer's eyes were now fully open.  
"I thought I'd never see you again _little _Wanderer."


	4. The King's Daughter

**A/N: Although this is based on the Host, some chapters will have less and less of the book's chapters, I've already altered many of them to fit the story and from here-on there will be many changes. I hope you stay and enjoy the story.  
The first part of the chapter is written in third person POV while the second part, past, memories Wanderer accessed deal with Mary's first point of view. All of Mary's memories are written in first point of view to distinguish between her and Wanderer.  
**

**Review.**

* * *

"She won't recognize the name." The doctor murmured.

"Give her some time then. Mary Tudor, you know your host name." It wasn't a question.

Wanderer nodded.

"Can you understand us? Are you aware?"

Another nod.

"Have I been placed in a damaged host in order to gain the information you need, Seeker?"

There was a gasp –surprise and outrage mingled- and something warm touched her skin, covered her hand.

"Of course not, Wanderer," the doctor said reassuringly. "Even a Queen would stop at some things."

The Seeker, no Queen now, she guessed, gasped again. Hissed, her memory corrected.

"Then why doesn't this mind function correctly?"

There was a long pause.

"The scans were perfect," the Seeker, no Queen –her memory insisted- spoke. Her words were not reassuring but argumentative. Did she mean to quarrel with her? Squinting her eyes, she recognized the face from her host's memories. Jane –the name felt so familiar, but what felt even more was her last name –Seymour.

Can it be?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the Seeker. "The body was entirely healed. There should not be any permanent damaged. We thought, your _father _that is thought, you would adjust perfectly. Perhaps he was wrong."

"You gave me an unstable host whose suicide attempt was perilously close to succeeding." Her tone was stiff, still angry. Wanderer wasn't used to anger. It was hard to contain it –and more so when she recognized who the Seeker was.

"Everything was in perfect order –"

The doctor cut her off. "What is missing Wanderer?" he asked. "Clearly, you've accessed speech."

Though there was no sound, there was a change. The atmosphere, which had gone tense at her accusation, relaxed. She wondered how she knew this. She had a strange sensation that she was somehow receiving more than her five sense were giving her –almost a feeling that there was another sense, on the fringes, not quite harnessed. Intuition? That was almost the right word. As if any creature needed more than five sense.

"Ah," the doctor said recognizing her worry, "Don't make yourself anxious about some partial memory … difficulties. That's, well, not to be expected, exactly, but not surprising, considering your host."

"I don't understand your meaning."

"This host was part of the human resistance. Those humans who were aware of us before insertion are more difficult to subdue. This one still resists."

"She was ten when she escaped, the report said I would be inserted in a young female." Wanderer protested.

"She is still young by human standards."

"How old?" Wanderer persisted.

"Eighteen. A highly adequate age if you ask me."

Wanderer's eyes narrowed to her as she took in the annoyance in the Seeker's voice. "So I am yet another lamb thrown to the slaughter?"

"Very good Wanderer, you are learning your language. You were brought here to learn their ways and infiltrate through their memories. Can you do that for us Wanderer?" There was a tint of mocking in her voice.

"Am I correctly bound?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"The host could try to regain control, I felt _**her**_ moments ago."

"That is highly unusual. A Soul of your experience ought to have subdued her."

"Would you like me to turn down the lights?" The doctor offered, incensed by the Seeker's constant mocking.

"No, Healer. My eyes will adjust. I've practiced through the simulacra chamber before I was put to sleep, I can access her memories and find the information you want."

"Good, that is all we ask."

Without waiting for the Healer's permission, Wanderer closed her eyes and accessed the dark corner of her brain where all the information and secrets of her host were stored.

* * *

**The King's Daughter.**

**~o~**

"_Blood of innocents burning in the sky."_

_-Burning in the skies by Linkin Park_

When Mr. Seymour went to visit her mother it was already late. The whirling storm was making it worse for them to travel to Kimbolton where she lay.

Meanwhile at Greenwich my father busied himself with my reentry to the Court. He addressed me by my given name, "Mary" said he, taking me in his arms. "How is my pearl?"

"Very well father," said I, voice steady. "Where is Her Majesty?" I asked in private. "I'd very much like to meet her. It's been seven years."

Seven years my long reader may not be much for you, but it was for the King's daughter whose last recollection of her mother had been in chains.

"I am surprised you ask for her." Started he, raising an eyebrow, "Your mother has not been … well. She's been treated by Healers as you know, but she is due to be back at Court any day now."

"When?" I pressed.

"Any day now." My father insisted and dismissed me.

At six o'clock we met with various emissaries from the Lowlands and the Plains where the Souls had established most of their factories.

"Mary, say hello to our guests. These are the Seekers from the Mexica country come to greet us."

Dark skinned and dark eyes –almost black. I bowed to them.

"This is Seeker Xochitl and Seeker Itzel. Itzel Serf is among the first of the Seekers to capture human rebels and bring them to custody," explained her father. "Seeker Xochilt is responsible for the insertion for our new Hosts and-"

"I thought you said she was a Seeker."

"That I am, Princess but I am also a Healer."

I knitted my eyebrows in confusion. The older, dark-skinned woman seemed untroubled by a ten year old's interruption.

"She's heeded a double calling My Lady. Xochitl's host here used to be a shaman, a healer if you will amongst her people prior to the Spaniard's arrival. Naturally she took on her host's previous Calling." The other dark woman explained.

I squinted my eyes, took a step forward and there I saw the similarities between them. I could not resist asking. "Are you related?"

They both nodded. "Sisters, My Lady."

I wanted to ask them more but my father called Lady Salisbury. "When will I see my mother?" I asked her, less formal. She did not give me a straight answer –but neither did she deny my request.  
I knew it wasn't within her power to grant me anything but I desperately wanted to see my mother. "When do you think His Majesty will allow her to come back to Court?"

"As soon as she signs the documents My Lady."

"Why hasn't she signed them?" I asked, my curiosity peaking but also my frustration. At my age dear reader, it's hardly unbelievable to think a girl like me –albeit royalty- would not be asking these questions. I was a little child, wiser and with a strict education, but a child nonetheless.

"I don't know My Lady and that is the truth. Now get some sleep. Your father has a surprise tomorrow for you, on your eleventh birthday." Lady Salisbury smiled at me and when she turned off the lights, I could not help but be in awe of her beautiful glimmer of her eyes. Silvery-grey. I sighed.

_Someday …_

_**~o~**_

"Is everything ready?"

"Is she asleep?"

"She is My Lord."

"Good, good. We will take her before she wakes up, before the rooster sings. She must be handled with care, His Majesty must not know. He will understand later why we took her."

"I'm not sure of that." Another voice said.

"Off with you, Jane. You want to be our Overlord's wife, you will learn to obey."

"Watch your step Aleera, it's a dangerous ground you're walking on. You wouldn't want His Majesty to find the truth about what happened to your _brother_?"

"He is not my brother anymore."

"No he is not. Not after you butchered him and had his memory erased."

"It was for the good of the country."

"Bullocks, you did it for yourself. Now you want the Lady be taken now or should we wait?"

"I am not sure. If we were caught-"

"No one will be caught. Lady Mary will be taken to the facility and when she wakes up, she will be host to a new Soul. His Majesty will be upset at first but he will understand why we did it."

"It surprises me how you can be a good actress."

"Well I had experience and I always pick hosts that suit my personality." The one called _Aleera_ explained.

"You could've picked a younger one. Experienced hosts usually do. They give you no trouble."

"My host hardly gave me any trouble and besides, the brat trusts her."

"Careful Aleera, if His Majesty heard you he'd be seriously angry with you. He had no love for you host, he'll have less if he gets wind of your words."

"His Majesty's host had no love for my host, but our Overlord does for me and he respects me."

"For now." Jane said, but it was whispered so low that she didn't think anyone heard, anyone but me.

I tip-toed back to my rooms and prepared my lunch bag. The Countess of Salisbury upon regaining her old position, had given me many gifts –among them, this leathery bag I dubbed lunch bag –because I took it for many picnics. Now it would serve for my escape.

"Princess Mary." I did not turn back. I run as fast as my little legs could carry me. I never turned back.

**_~o~_**

I woke up. I found myself in a small camp. Rebels –I mumbled. The leader of the opposition, he was older but very well-formed and reader, you must understand me. I was only ten, feeble minded. But could you blame my naivety for falling madly in love for someone so graceful, so soft yet so sharp-spoken –that his every words could cut through every rough surface of that Lady Salisbury's words. (No! Not Lady Salisbury any longer –I spoke to myself. My Governess was gone and in her stead, there was a woman I hardly recognized. My life had been a lie and oh dear reader how I wish you could understand the plight I was in. The years of hardship and loneliness!).

My lips drew up in a smile. "Hello." I said. The normal greeting as I had learned from my father, emulating him in grace and style. I bowed my head and made a quick curtsy. "I am …" I stopped myself. Could I trust him? Yes, you must. My mind pressed me. "… Mary. Name is Mary Rivers."

"Mary Rivers, such an odd name. Has anyone here heard of a Rivers? No?" He turned his head back to me. "Well little girl it seems we might have to abandon you to the wolves, we can't have any unclaimed baggage-"

"But good Sir, I won't be a bother, I promise! I can hunt, my lord father taught me how."

"Listen to her Ned-"

"Don't call me that-"

"-if the brat can hunt she can bring us more game. Besides we need a good bait when the Seekers come to look for us."

'Ned' looked annoyed at a man I could only assume was his brother because of his similar features. "Very well, come."

"Where is this place?" I asked when we arrived to his base.

"This is the Cullen's Coven. You might have heard of it." I shook my head. To my shame, my father kept me so uninformed.

"That's a shame, my own father didn't teach me much, except for Thomas here. He will be your partner."

"Can't I be yours?" I asked with great impulse. He seemed annoyed.

"I hunt alone."

I said no more.

"Here are your rooms. Go and don't bother us, you hunt tomorrow." He closed the door behind him. His brother Thomas, dark in contrast with his fair, golden-haired brother, winked at me before he closed the door on me.


	5. Unmeasured

**Unmeasured**

**~o~**

"_Humans have a strength that cannot be measured"_

_~Terminator Salvation_

"What more information can you supply?" The Seeker asked, an obvious question. There was nothing wrong about this question but oh reader the entity within Wanderer was still alive and Wanderer could hear her grumbling as the Seeker waited for her answer.

_**Shut up!**_

**No, you shut up!**

Deep in the Soul, Mary Tudor was still alive and she was fighting back.

If she keeps it up like this, she may will.

**Good**, Mary read her thoughts, **maybe then I can have my body back.** But as she spoke, Wanderer found the weak spot she'd been looking for.

**No, not Johnny, not Johnny! No! Don't tell them, I beg you!** But Wanderer was not going to give in to her request.

"What is it Wanderer?" The Seeker asked her noticing her brow creased.

"Johnny! I think she has a brother, no wait …" She covered her mouth as a gasp escaped her and looked up at the Seeker with wide eyes. No Queen. Her mind corrected. "You have a brother. Johnny! That's why you were looking for her, right? You have a little brother –I mean your host had a brother named Johnny. He was taken before insertion chamber, am I right by the rebels and … Edward … Edward, the leader, he's your brother too."

**Older brother!** The voice hissed in her mind.

There was so much hate and scorn in her voice, it was unlike anything Wanderer had experienced.

"He's the leader of the rebellion," Wanderer continued, too excited, regardless of her host's mental interruptions. "That's why you wanted this body, you want to learn their location!"

"Very good Wanderer. I applaud your efforts-"

"My efforts-" **Don't you dare tell her!**

"But they are wrong." The Seeker said silkily. "It's only the youngling I'm interested in. I don't care for the older ones."

"Older ones? I d-don't understand, I can help you look for them-" The Seeker silenced her raising her hand.

"That will be enough, your job here is done Wanderer. Now go and enjoy the world; it will be much getting used to but I can promise many delights from this world, more than I can say from Blind World."

"Blind World?"

"Oh yes, you are not acquainted with the names. Our host's language has enabled us to be creative. We call this world Gaia in honor of their sacred mother Goddess from ancient Greece. Blind World is our old world."

"It's not fitting." Wanderer said again in high disapproval.

"Yes, well, some who have lived there prefer to call it the Singing World but most young Souls have grown fond of the new name."

She nodded slowly to the old name. She liked that better.

"And some who've never been there call it Planet of the Bats," The Seeker and Queen muttered.

_You_ for instance –Wanderer wished to say.

"I assume you are one who has never lived there Seeker,"

"Your Majesty, Wanderer, would do. Let's not forget the titles, our Overlord has grown very fond of them and in order to assimilate we had to grow accustomed to this society and their ways. You were not here before the dark days, before the invasion. You don't know how this society functions but you need not to worry, Comforter Schell will come to speak to you first thing tomorrow. For now adjust to your new surroundings. A thopter will come to pick you up."

"Where will I be staying?"

"Aquitas." Wanderer searched her mind for anything that sounded remotely familiar with Mary's memories but she found none. The Seeker saw her confusion and answered, "It's not anywhere your host would recognize. It's build on the old Capital."

"I was not aware there was a Capital."

"There isn't –wasn't." The Seeker corrected herself, hastily adding –"but the Center of Commerce was Plymouth and London, it's where you will find most of the old structures. They are under our control now." The Seeker said, not knowing why she was justifying herself to this girl. "Master Grindal will take you there. It's build on Greenwich."

"Greenwich …"

"Anything you recognize Wanderer?"

Wanderer slowly nodded. It was the catalyst. The place her host discovered the deception.

"My host was there." She answered.

"Can you remember anything else? Wanderer … Wanderer? Wanderer!" She slammed her fist on the metal bed. She jumped and stared –almost in fright- at Her Majesty. "She is resisting. Control her."

She tried. Be still –she willed to the intrusive presence, finally she was subdued.

Wanderer closed her eyes and searched through her memories. She remembered the path she'd taken but she didn't know the names. Come on, there must be something. Let it be something –Wanderer had not faced desperation but she was getting very desperate for an answer now. She opened her eyes. "Sherwood. Sherwood forest."

"Impossible!" exclaimed the Seeker, "It is too far, she couldn't have gotten too far."

"You forget you're talking about the former Princess of England, her will is strong. I see it in her memories she went that far."

"Very well then, anything else? Anything useful."

"No." Wanderer said defeated. Mary was not letting her in her memories. She hated to admit it-but she needed some rest.

"Well then, this meeting was informative. We are concluded here, doctor, I expect your full report tomorrow and don't be late. His Majesty will be expecting it."

The doctor nodded and both watched her leave.

"I am sorry you had to be witness to that."

"Do not apologize Healer. Were I in her position I would've acted the same."

The doctor said nothing in regards to this. "Are you sure you want to leave now? I can administer some tests before you-"

But Wanderer shook her head vigorously. "No Healer, I want to leave. I need to start adjusting to this world" and my host-she thought. "The Seeker said that there will be someone visiting me, a Comforter. You know who this person is?"

"I'm not familiar with any Comforter in Aquitas but I do know that some Graduates of Cambridge have stepped forward, begging for the assignment."

"That's highly unusual of our race."

"You must understand Wanderer, many things have changed since you went into cryo. The Seeker is right, you were not here at the time of the invasion. Those were bloody times. A lot of us died and the new Souls had to adapt to their hosts' ways."

"And you doctor, did you have to adapt as well?"

It was the first time she had used the word doctor instead of Healer with him. He gave a sad smile.

"I am sorry. I displeased you."

"No, no, no. You are right to inquire. My host was very hard to subdue, I was not used to it. Blind Word was much easier, the creatures were emotionless and had a collective mind. Humans are more individualistic."

"How did you overcome it?"

"I didn't, not at first. I struggled and was plagued by constant nightmares. This was before the dark times, where a select few had to infiltrate and pass off as our hosts. I had to convince the King, our Overlord's future host, that I was still Linacre. It was not easy."

"But you just said you managed it."

"Not without sacrifice. In order to become my host I had to practice, develop a taste for his tastes as well, with time the line between me and my host's identity was being blurred. In essence I became my host."

Wanderer's face paled. She wasn't sure if she wanted to become Mary.

**I will have my body back.**

_**Be quiet!**_

"Humans never suspected you?"

"They never had any reason to. You must remember they were too busy fighting against each other, and they were divided even within their own countries what they call kingdoms. It was very easy to infiltrate them until they started getting too suspicious."

"Why?"

"The wars of religion. It was a bloody period of civil war. Religions fighting to become the dominant force, none was better of course but they promised the people salvation and naturally subjugated by the former they went to whichever they liked. Some Souls were discovered and they were tried as witches and warlocks and …" he paused, "sent to a horrible death. I dare not speak it, I hope you do not ask me any further on this matter."

"I won't. Thank you Healer for what you've told me. It's made me more determined to work alongside the Seeker." Wanderer said. She got down from the metal bed and went to the bathroom where she found clothes –a plain light brown and black gown waiting for her and a strange looking hat. Hood –her memory answered. French.

"Wanderer." The Healer called once she was dressed and outside. "Good luck." They stared at each other for the longest time. She said nothing, turned around and boarded the thopter.

Seconds later the machine was off the ground and the doctor just stood there, immobile, waiting until it disappeared from view.

* * *

**Check out the flickr link on my account to get pictures of the cast!  
**

**Please review!**


	6. Passions

**Passions**

**~o~**

_"You are who you are, so am I."_

_~ Eustace Chapuys; Tudors_

_"Let me tell you a little secret about your husband … he's lost forever, he loves another and as long as she lives, you will never have what you want."_

_"Lies, all lies."_

Ned woke with a jolt. _A prophetic dream_. No -he corrected himself. Superstition -nothing more.

Their bodies felt connected last time he saw her. He was about to consummate the marriage when a lightning struck the chestnut tree where they lay under, covering them from the wild storm that raged at their expense.

It had been a sign –she'd said. But he on the other hand who did not believe in signs other than what the Lord Himself said unto his disciples in the Holy Scriptures, regarded it as pure coincidence. Now he wasn't too sure.

Mary's gone –he heard Thomas say. He nodded, absent-minded from his brother and everyone else. He wished the witch had never come to Cullen's Hall. She'd brought nothing but misery.

"Then she's gone then." He said and they left it at that.

For three months they searched for her ignoring the Cullens' commands and Edward's orders. Deep, within his very soul, Thomas knew she had to be alive. He'd felt something the previous night, stronger than Edward he was sure. He couldn't explain it but it was there, festering in his being, feeling it grow. Every time she breathed, she took a step –he felt it. Now he was more committed than ever to finding her.  
And when he did he'd have her. He would make her love him.

* * *

**_I fancied myself his wife. Could I ever be such a thing? I yearned it so and so I let him take me and claim me as his own._**_ Edward took me by the hand and led me away to the Welsh Marches. "Will they ever suspect us here?"_

_"No one will. This is our home. Our secret hideout."_

_"You sound too excited for someone who had a wife."_

_"Had. She's dead to me. You are the only one that matters." He leaned over me after he pinned me to the ground. Laughing I crooked my finger, my eye-lashes invitingly tempting him to consummate our union._

_"Before God-" I stared but he put two fingers to my lips._

_"No one will know." And he clashed his lips against mine._

_She moaned against such pressure as they started making love. "Edward … Edward …" She squealed like a dolphin. Wander woke up and with a jolt jumped from her bed. Beads of cold sweat trickled down her forehead. It was true. She was in need of physical contact. The concept of love was so foreign to her that the only remote thing to it she had experienced-was sex._

_Yet … she closed her eyes._

_"Love me Edward, love me!"_

She gasped, opening her eyes. It had not been Edward she was screaming to-it was his brother Thomas.

_Thomas Seymour_.She didn't realize she said the name aloud. And as if she summoned him, she appeared before her in the corner of her eyes, in her reflection –in the mirror.

"Tommy." She whispered touching the contours of his face, tracing every line. It was only a minute later that with the beep of the virtual screen, she realized he was only a fantasy.

"Why am I in love with you?" Was it love? How can I be sure? She shook her head. It was too much human emotion for one night.

Her body was still sweating when she turned on the screen.

"Madame, is everything alright?"

**I don't like the sound of Madame, it makes me sound old.**

**_You are old_** –Wanderer screamed back at Mary. **_Old as an old maid._**

"Madame are you all right? Hello?"

**How does that even make sense?**

"It doesn't."

"Madame?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I just … just … had a bad dream." She said in earnest. She was not going to let these emotions get in the way. She was still a Soul and truth was always at the core of her race. "Could you … could you …send Comforter Brookes here?"

"Now?"

"Yes. Now." Her voice was calm and collected but her stare was cold and fixed. The maid shrunk back.

"I will phone her at once My Lady." Good, finally. The voice said in her head. Wanderer agreed with her for once.

She turned the screen off and buried her nails in her auburn hair.

**Am I bothering you?**

**_Do you even have to ask?_**

**You feel anger, it's normal.** Wanderer heard sarcasm in her next sentence. **Don't feel bad Wanderer, at least you got a fantasy, I got nothing.**

**_You will have nothing if you keep this irrational attitude of yours._ **Wanderer barked, surprised at her own tone.

Mary laughed, she was about to reply when the door opened and only then did Wanderer realized her mistake.

"Wanderer." She was face to face with her Comforter, except she could not help but notice there was something familiar in her face –something she couldn't trace but that she knew she could recognize immediately almost anywhere.

Maybe Mary knows, she thought. But then Wanderer thought against it.

Reading her face, the Comforter came up to her, clapped her hands and the light turned on, and then took a seat in the armchair next to her. "Welcome Wanderer, I trust you are adjusting to your new surroundings. Judging by your expression I see you are having some trouble."

"Well," she added waiting for Wanderer to stop fidgeting, "that's why I am here for. I reviewed your case file and the first thing that struck me is that you've decided not to take your host's name."

"That is correct."

"You do not have to be formal with me Wanderer. This is not a training session. We are friends after all." The Comforter explained. She looked through her other papers in one of her folders when Wanderer interrupted. "Why does your face stir emotions of discomfort in me? Did my host know you?"

"I am not sure. That's something you should ask her."

Wanderer blinked.

"You don't have to lie to me. I was here before the invasion, posing as one of their own. I know how hard the erasing is."

"How did you manage?" She asked, expecting the same answer as doctor Linacre, however her answer was somewhat different.

"I never did. I made a pact with her. Strange as it may sound. It worked at first but then she started getting stronger. Humans are very tricky beings, you give them help, they will stab you in the back mark my words. After she tried to take over, I stopped her with the false memory I created."

"Can we do that?"

"It's not allowed but to answer your question, yes we can. It's very rare though and you have to be careful, these humans are very independent, I'm sure you've been told, and they are willing to fight till the end. After I fooled her with my fake memory I locked her up in a corner of my mind where she would never bother me. Eventually she gave up."

"How can I get rid of my host?" You can't! Mary screamed in her mind but Wanderer could sense the fear in her voice.

"You can't, it's not that easy. You have to trick her, hurt her where it hurts her the most. Like the wounds of Christ, I'm sure you've seen the human's savior's cross." Wanderer nodded. "Do that, wound her. Little by little and she will be gone."

"Thank you." She wasn't sure that helped but I smiled nonetheless. However it was not my smile, it was Mary's. Something she had learned, she told me, allowing me to see a mental image from her beloved, Edward Seymour –leader of the rebellion.

"Well then, my job here is done and now I must depart."

"Wait," She placed her hand on her hand and she slowly turned back to her. "who are you? Your name Brookes, I don't recall it from her memories, but your face seems so familiar … it …"

She stepped closer, her eyes holding a familiar glint. Search harder Wanderer –they were telling her. It was a challenge and Wanderer accepted it.

She shut her eyes and squeezed them so hard that when she opened them, recognition dawned on her face. The Comforter chuckled. "So now you know. I thought it was going to take forever for you to figure it out. Certainly took your host's uncle a full week until the King had to tell him the embarrassing truth."

"But how –how could the Duke of Suffolk not figure it out who you were?"

"He did but by that time the invasion was starting and before he could speak to your host's father, our people took him and started the process of insertion."

She felt a great sadness. It was not her-it was _hers_. Yet, it was contagious and _so powerful_; Wanderer could not help feel it too. "Is the Duke … dead?"

"You are so full of questions, aren't you little Wanderer?" There was a similar jest to be found in the Comforter's voice yet it was not done in mocking as with the Seeker.  
"I will indulge you just this once. After the invasion, my host's father resisted the takeover and when the Soul tried to fight back, Charles beat it. You are scared, don't worry. It won't happen to you. You've been on more planets than anyone can count on. The Soul inserted on Charles Brandon was inexperienced and new and therefore couldn't overpower the wretched man. In the end both died."

"That's awful." Wanderer said, this time with genuine sadness for one of their own.

"It was. Saddest part of all was that the host knew what would happen after we retrieved the Soul so for a man who was used to luxury-the sudden thought of becoming a slave, unnerved him and he decided to take his life."

"That should not have been enough to kill the Soul."

"No, but a blast to his neck sure was. He took a ray-gun and pointed at his neck then shot himself. You know enough the blow of a 3M44 gun is enough to blast through any energy force. It killed him and the Soul right away."

"Who was it?"

"Not anyone you know, as I've said, it was only a young Soul. He –the Soul- was sorely missed. He'd already formed an attachment to the planet; before his host had taken over, he told me how he never wanted to leave. It's pretty sad, really."

"You grew close to him?"

The Comforter smiled. "A little. I grew closer to his second wife, Catherine Brooks, it's where I decided to take my name. She was another victim of the slaughter, not by her own hand though but her husband's. In my own way I remember the Soul and the host taking her last name."

"Why do you insist on keeping your human names? We always said we were going to leave our host's customs behind and introduce our own. That has always been our purpose –conquer and restore balance, maintain peace in our new worlds."

"It still is." Comforter Eleanor insisted, "But, things have changed. Humans (as you've experienced) are different. Sometimes the best way to defeat your enemy is through assimilation rather than destroying their entire culture." She took notice of Wanderer's ever present frown. "There is nothing wrong with admiring your enemy. Remember our first world; we kept some of their culture."

But not their names! Wanderer wanted to say but remained quiet.

"What will happen to me now? How can I hurt her? You say wound her, but I need more information about her. I've accessed all I can but there are places she still doesn't allow me.'

"Try harder. You will overcome your host. It's just a question of will. She will continue to push your buttons but you must push harder."

"Push my buttons?"

"It's an expression. Just keep trying. You will eventually overcome her."

Just how soon? Wanderer wondered. She wanted to get rid of her_ now_.

"Comforter, why did you chose to keep your host's first name? After the invasion was done, you could've taken Catherine instead, it was the Duchess of Suffolk's first name and your host's stepmother."

"It just wouldn't be the same and it did not sound respectful. I was Eleanor besides for three years that taking that away, just didn't seem right anymore so I kept it. I only changed my last name from Brandon to Brookes because it felt the good thing to do."

Wanderer did not ask more.

She slept more soundly that night. No more disturbing dreams, no more erotic fantasies.

She had dreamed of Thomas Seymour because he was her host's beloved's brother. Her body naturally ached for Mary's beloved but perhaps, filled with a sense of guilt of taking over Mary's body, she shifted her affection to Edward's younger brother –Thomas.  
And there was something about Thomas Seymour –a certain quality that made him more attractive.  
She didn't know what it was but perhaps once she took care of her small problem, she could access all of Mary's memories and find out once and for all where the rebel's base was in England –and then she could have the object of her fantasy.

Then she asked, just as the Comforter –her host's cousin's fingers gripped the door knob, twisting it around, about to leave; "Why did you chose this profession?"

The Comforter displayed what she could only tell was a grin.

"It defied your Calling. Why didn't you stay in the facility and become a Healer like Linacre?"

"Oh Wanderer … you will find that once you entered a human host, it's difficult to disassociate from their wants and needs. Our Queen has managed –although not successfully as she wants us to believe. The truth is my little Wanderer I … cancelled myself out."

Wanderer wasn't sure but something in her expression must have changed dramatically because the Comforter noted it and her smile waned.

"We all had to do our part-"

"You do not have to justify yourself-"

"But I will because you have to hear this if you want to overcome her." Wanderer stayed silent. "I grew tired of slaughter and seeing humans … defenseless humans being taken aboard our ship for insertion. At first I told myself it would be easy. Just another specimen but specimen after specimen something in me –call it conscience- prickled me and I experienced nightmares just as you –though these were of a more violent nature. My host's memories resurfaced and they were calling me to stop, so I did. I quit my job and changed professions."

"But to cancel yourself out-" Wanderer could not finish. She never heard of anyone cancelling him or herself out. It was unheard of! Yet here was the living, talking, walking reminder that it did –and could indeed- happen -again!

"Don't you regret it?" She refused to believe that she didn't.

"Of course I do, but what can I do? I made my choice and I have to live with it." She forced a smile on her face and said with a softer voice: "Get some rest Wanderer. It will do you good to get some fresh air, be acquainted with new souls. Tomorrow we can talk more if you wish." Wanderer nodded to that and did as the Comforter told her after she left.

She slept and for once, she had no nightmares.

* * *

"What is the next step?"

"The Seeker has determined your Calling based on your last profession and interests. You will be taking on the Calling of High Instructor."

"Where?"

"There are not many universities that offer the courses you requested but-"

"Where?" Wanderer insisted, more frustrated -Eleanor suspected- by her inability to control her host.

If this kept up, Eleanor would have to tell the Special Authorities. She didn't fancy the idea of betraying Wanderer -the only amongst their kind who'd liven twice as many lives than any other Soul.

"We can start with Trinity College."

"I am not familiar with the name but sounds like something my host's species would have named."

"Our Overlord appointed a new rector, his name is Askham. Be fair to him, his Soul is an old Soul like you and very stubborn."

"Who is that?" Wanderer said after going through her future peers' profiles. One in particular struck her. She was sure she had seen him before –or at least her host had.

**Philip.**

_**What?**_ But Mary wasn't given the opportunity to reply. "This is Philip Wittelsbach. Bavaria's Regulator. He's our Ambassador for our other Host's planets. He will be giving several peace lectures on campus. You might be interested in him."

"Why do you say that?"

"Your host was. She met him when she was four, he was fourteen at the time but like the tale of Sleeping Beauty, he left quite an impression on her."

She searched _her_ memories to find any mention on this Philip but she found none.

"Anything else?"

The Comforter could hear the frustration in her voice, and her finger slid through the screen to reveal the portrait of another handsome man. "I recognize him." Wanderer said. So did Mary. She felt her host's excitement curse through her veins.

"Master FitzRoy."

"What's wrong?" She asked with deep concern. The Comforter's brow had suddenly creased –as if the image of the golden-haired young man had reawakened some old stigma.

She shook her head. "Nothing, nothing, forgive me Wanderer." She said recovering herself quickly, but Wanderer could still see the pain in her eyes.

She is not going to tell me anymore –Wanderer told herself. And to avoid her further pain she asked about the handsome she'd seen before Master Fitzroy. "When will I be meeting him?"

"Not for a week. He will be meeting our Overlord and Her Majesty, Seeker Jane first then he'll be meeting you. Be careful with him Wanderer, his host had a reputation among the women, he could've caught some of those bad habits."

"I shall be." Wanderer answered but her eyes were already fixated on the dark handsome image of the former Duke of Bavaria. How had she known she was a Duke? She didn't know –perhaps it was the collective memory of many generations back in her host's genetic memory or perhaps it was just a wild guess –whatever the reason she was right. When she returned to her chambers, the information she requested popped on the holographic screen. It read Duke of Bavaria. Status –Host. Regulator –and, more interestingly for Wanderer –Breeder.

Only a select few were given this high status. She turned the device off and changed to her nightclothes. Mary wasn't bothering her and for a second time Wanderer was able to sleep without any trouble.

* * *

"Hello there, Wanderer! Welcome back. I'm glad you came. Come, take a seat. Guess who we have here, he made a small detour but rest assured your prayers have been answered." Wanderer looked at her oddly but didn't remain baffled for long.

"Regulator."

"Call me Philip." The man made an elegant bow Wanderer recognized from her host's memory –that only high noblemen did- and gave a charming smile. The man was also possessor of other charming features. Dark hair, blue eyes. (Not sapphire to her disappointment like the younger Seymour.) But perhaps the thing that most struck her was that smile and how much it reminded her of the other raven haired rogue.

Reader understand what was going through the elusive mind at that moment –I'm sure that not even I know but I can only guess that she was besotted but was this love? Could this Soul even love –did she even know what love meant?  
Of course not –but I was going to be proven wrong very soon.

In the meanwhile Wanderer was tracing the same lines (while in her subconscious) on his face. It was not the same. The younger Seymour had both a delicacy and roughness about him -perfectly balanced. The former Duke's face on the other hand was boyish and his eyes displayed only eagerness.  
Could she taken him seriously? No! Absolutely not. Out of the question!

But her body yearned for a chemical response. The Comforter said it was normal and that if she wasn't sure about Philip, she could experience it with any human slave that would serve her on campus.

Philip will have to do -she decided.

**Don't you dare-** But Wanderer cut her off responding in equal anger -_**It's my body now and I can do with it what I want! You are just an unwanted memory, now leave me be!**_


	7. Of Love And Death

**Of Love And Death  
**

**~o~**

"_Time after time I say oh Lord what's the use  
Time after time I say it's just no good  
Because sooner in life you lose the things you love…"_

_~ "You've Got the Love" by Florence and the Machine_

Wanderer met her eyes guiltily. "I left several messages. You didn't answer any of them."

"Yes, I know." There it was, the tiny smile again. "I tried to keep up with messages my patients send me –not that you are one. Let's see ah yes. Johnny located in Twelve-A street-near Sherwood. I'm afraid we found nothing."

"He is there, I assure you."

"I'm sure he is but we've send Seekers and Specials there and nothing."

"Nothing?" Wanderer asked, needing to be reassured.

"Nothing." The older cousin reassured her.

"Well, there must be something. I'm sure that she was there. It was Sherwood forest-"

"Perhaps she's misleading you. Think harder. Focus. Remember where she was. There must've been something there, something you are missing."

She tried.

"Sherwood forest. I'm sorry that's all I can remember."

"We will try again tomorrow. Tell me about your life. How is it going?"

"Adjustment period is going fine."

"Wanderer, there's no need to be formal with me. I'm your Comforter and your cousin."

"Your host was."

"Yes but in a manner of speaking as part of our adjustments we also have to accept some of our host's realities and one of them is, we are cousins. Now tell me how is your life in Cambridge?"

"It is fine."

"I would say more than fine. Regulator Philip tells me good things about you. He says your class is among the most requested at Trinity College."

Her cheeks warmed a bit at this praise. She heard Mary grumble but Wanderer didn't pay her attention. "That's nice to hear. How is your partner?"

"Philip is wonderful, thank you. We haven't seen each other in months, I'm happy for his arrival and I thank you."

"Me, why?"

"Your arrival precipitated his coming." She was curious if she was jealous so she asked her. "No, Wanderer, I'm not. You misunderstood me. I'm very content with his visit because of all the years our hosts spent together but I am not ignorant to the truth."

She waited.

"He loves you."

"I am sure he-"

"Wanderer, you enjoy teaching. It's something that's related to your previous Callings. You were a great teacher among the Sea Weeds. You facilitated the invasion to the remainder of the free sectors but you always refused to be one of them."

"I did my job."

"And that's great but it's not the same here. I see you still refuse to take a human name."

"Yes … Eleanor."

She laughed lightly. "You are not at ease with human names yet, are you, little Wanderer?"

"No. To be honest, I respect your decision, but it seems like a surrender."

"I see. Well, I can understand why you, especially feel that way. But let me tell you if you don't start getting familiar with your host's race and other people, she will win."

"I will not let her."

"No, but you have in your possession one of the strongest minds. She has a lot of fervor just as you do –perhaps it's time you and Philip become better acquainted."

"I refuse to."

"It's not a question of want, it's a question of must. I'll call Philip and I will tell him you'll meet him this afternoon." The conversation left no room for denial.

* * *

"Wanderer is it? I recall your host's name was Mary. Very charming."

"You find something funny?" She asked, cocking her head to a side.

"Nothing much, but your host used to do the same thing, that thing, yes, exactly, that thing you're doing. She used to do it all the time –at parties, events, banquets, fetes-"

"How exactly do you know my host?"

"Didn't Eleanor told you?"

She nodded. "I wanted to hear it from you."

"Well then, it was not long ago. Fourteen, for this species it's a long time but your host had a good memory, too good. She boasted she could remember everything from when she was two. I never met a human who could but she said she could and bloody bastard she did. She said every word she remembered, days, hours, everything. Nothing missed her but she was too vain. She pretended not to –but she was. All females of this species are but she was more. Then came the Great Divorce and that only screwed things up."

"The Great Divorce; I remember. Her parents didn't agree."

"More like her mother but then she was head over heels for her father' minister so he had them imprisoned. Next thing you know he's inserted, she's not but she's kept either way –for her daughter's sake."

"What changed?"

Philip shrugged. The waiter came to take their empty plates. He looked around to see if no one was listening. "I'm not certain but rumors are that after Nan Bullen's fall and the birth of her daughter, I'm sure you know."

"Yes, yes, Princess Elizabeth. Continue."

"Well, rumors are that our Overlord grew tired of all the Howard and Bullens Souls so he had them executed."

"Skipped." She corrected.

Philip shook his head vigorously, smiling sardonically. His smile sent a shiver down both their spine. She couldn't understand how her Comforter could be attracted to him. There was something malevolent about this man.

"No. Just as you heard me. He didn't allow them to be skipped, he just killed them, right there as their niece resisted the insertion. After that, it was the Seymours."

"I don't understand."

"What's not to understand? He killed them Wanderer, plain and simple."

"No, not that. The Seymours. You said they entered the picture after the Bullens' downfall, am I correct and my mother's imprisonment?"

"Yes. Ambitious family. They didn't know what they were getting into. Like all other humans they believed riches awaited them."

Philip moved his seat closer to hers and his arm settled around her shoulders. She was struggling hard to control her wild emotions that she didn't pull away, though it felt _too _intimate.

It bothered Mary, too. She didn't like being hugged by an alien –or, rather, she didn't like being hugged by anyone other than her husband.

Of course Mary was very much present in this moment, and unbearably smug as Wanderer finally admitted to her power. She was gleeful –more so, because now, they had something in common –dislike. True, complete, utter dislike, and aversion for this man.  
It was always harder to control her when she was distracted by emotion like this.

**You are in my place and he is in my husband's place.** Her thought was faint but intelligible.

_**Go away, this is my place now, and his. **_She didn't listen._** If you don't listen, I will make sure it's his bed we share tonight.**_

**You wouldn't dare.**

_**Wouldn't? Watch me.**_

Impulsively to prove Mary wrong, Wanderer pushed herself provocatively forward and kissed his lips.

Philip responded to the kiss and swung his arms around her. Expression such as this was not forbidden and Eleanor had given them her permission.

Sweet Jesus –Wanderer thought.

**Mother of God! I will get you for this Wanderer!** –but her voice died off as Wanderer kissed him again. She imagined this would be what she felt when she finally met him.  
She'd told them all she knew about the Seymours and Mary's previous location so they could get to them –and hopefully to him. She wanted him near her.

"Where were we?" Wanderer said after a long silence had passed.

"Ah yes, you were asking me about the Seymours. Rather, I was explaining them to you." Philip said, giving a light chuckle.

"How is it they rose to power so quickly? Were they not suspected?"

"Not that I know of. Our Head Seeker is a great Queen, she keeps us all safe."

That was not what she asked. Philip reiterated. "The Queen never suspected her brothers were involved until it was too late –though she hates admitting that to anyone."

I hardly think she ever has. Wanderer thought giving him a rueful expression. "What else?" She asked, too eager to know about the Seeker's older brothers. "Why did she not suspect them? She must have known about their whereabouts. Her host must have at least provided her with the information-" Philip interrupted.

"Her host didn't have a clue and didn't care a fig about her brothers' activities. One was too smart and the other the adventurer type for her liking. As far as she knew, everything was fine. Until her father decided to push her in the King's path."

"Yes, when I-my host was ten."

"Yes." Philip smiled. He did not miss her slip of tongue. "Your host was too smart. She liked Jane Seymour until she escaped. It was Mary Tudor who was responsible for all the fliers calling our Head Seeker –the _whore of Babylon_."

"I didn't realize the Head Seeker was so troubled by mere words."

"They were not just words. Your host did everything in her power to stop her. All the facilities, the dead Souls –they're all your host's work."

Wanderer was immediately repulsed. Her stomach churned at the thought of all her brethren killed by human ignorance. **Good riddance** –Mary said, imitating the Seeker's voice. _**Those poor Souls**_, Wanderer thought in return, returning with great anger and retaliating at what Mary and her savage species had done to them, by kissing Philip again.

**I will get you for this!**

Mary's voice was shut down as Philip kissed her with a hunger and need that overcame her own. Their tongues clashed; doing battle against one another until she overpowered him.

"I am not sure if this is you or your host but I like this change in you, little Wanderer."

"Please don't call me that."

"Why not? It's your chosen name, is it not?"

"Please," she insisted, "I have not chosen a human name, this is my title."

"Ah, so you have self-worth. I can see now why your host hates you. She never had much self-worth."

_I beg to differ_ –Mary and Wanderer said simultaneously.

He cupped her face. "You know, you remind me too much of her at times. You are what she could have been."

**No, don't trust him Wanderer.**

For the first time Wanderer heard concern in Mary's voice for her.

Reading her expression, he offered her the keys to his room. "Yours or mine?" She said boldly.

**Wanderer, please, I mean it. You can't condemn yourself.**

_**What do you care about my Immortal Soul? Your species kills mine and accuses us of being demons.**_

**Because you are! You take our people and kill them from the inside and turn them into hosts for your demons.**

_**So why should I care what you think?**_

**Because …**

_**Because what?**_

When she said nothing, Wander said** –**_**I could easily rid myself of you. There are many other bodies waiting.**_

**Go ahead. Make my murder official. At least then, I will be with the Lord Almighty in Heaven while you will just be another empty Soul, a whore!**

Her hands balled up into fists. **Go ahead Wanderer, kill me! What are you waiting for? Kill me now. Dispose of me or better yet, turn me into slave for the Lord said in suffering we are close to Him. I would rather die than serve your race!**

_**You idiot. You do not know what you're saying.**_

**I do! My race doesn't kill children, you do. You took first my sister, Lizzy, then Edward.**

_**My species never did such things! We merely took your offspring –the next generation which (need I remind you!) my kind worships for their promise- and improved them.**_

**You erased their minds to take over their bodies. You used them as vessels as you used countless others. Next generation. For you there is no such thing. You take what you can. You are like locusts, moving from planet to planet, sucking out all the resources until there is nothing left!**

_**And you don't?**_Wanderer shouted back. _**Those children are better off, leading healthy lives with us. What they would have to gain if we returned them to you?**_

Mary had nothing to say to this.

_**Most of the children we rescued were victims of your race's most heinous crimes. Some raped, others verbally abused. You take what you want and use others as you please –for your own benefit. You are just the same!**_

**So you admit it then!**

_**I admit your species has caused more harm than any other has**_ –Wanderer said, her body responding to her anger, trembling. _**What future would have awaited them? Your species' offspring have not only suffered at the hand of strangers but also at the hands of their caretakers**_ –_**people that were supposed to love and nurture them. You, yourself are proof of this.**_

**I will destroy you!**

She was angry. She had hit on a soft spot.

_**So shall I if you continue with this nonsense.**_

She was bluffing, but so was Mary.

Oh, Wanderer thought, she thinks she wants to die. But she still retained that ardent passion for her husband, her human mate. She would not kill herself. Then again, she had thrown herself out the window. But that was in a moment of panic and defeat. To consider it calmly from a comfortable chair was something else altogether. She could feel the adrenaline –adrenaline called into being by her fear –shoot through her own limbs as Wanderer contemplated switching to a more pliant body.

**Why don't you then?**

She was daring her. _**Well, perhaps I'll dare you too Mary.**_

Mary squirmed, figuratively, in the recesses of Wanderer's head as Wanderer tried to consider the options available to her. Give up this body for a new one …

No. She'd _never_ skip. This was her body and whether she liked it or not, Mary would have to get used to it.

She accepted Philip's offer and they went back to the Embassy where he was staying and shared one passionate night together.

* * *

The light was finally fading outside the window. It was hot for March. The day lingered on and on, as if reluctant to set Wanderer free.

"You are afraid she will gain control again?" Philip traced the beads of sweat down her forehead and kissed them away.

"No, I'm not."

He flipped her to land on her back. "What are you afraid of? You know you can tell me anything."

"Comforter Eleanor might not like-"

"She doesn't care. She said so –comfort my cousin."

"It seems the Comforter thinks too much of herself." She said, voicing her thoughts aloud.

"She's doing what is best for you. We all care for your well-being Wanderer." He clashed his lips against hers and there was a brief moment of lucidity before she became a prisoner of her passions again, that she remembers another man, _his _lips, _his_ kiss. Thomas.

* * *

"We should be finding her." Thomas raged at his brother.

"I'm not going to waste half of our resources looking for lost causes."

"She's your wife."

"Was my wife. I have more important things that call for my attention." He said to Thomas. "Go Thomas, be of some use and send the dogs to catch more Seekers."

"They have beasts of their own."

"Domesticated." Dependent and weak –they would not go far without their masters.

Thomas heeded his brother's commands and called on Carrie –the remaining Cullen on their stronghold- to let the dogs on them. They captured two young Seekers. "Make no mistake Thomas, they are young but they are Souls nonetheless." Thomas was not sure anymore. They wore the same human face, the same human expression. Thomas could not let the beasts loose on them so he chose imprisonment instead. Edward went to their cells and delighted to see fear register in these demons' eyes. So he ordered they be brought to the torture chamber where he stuck a hot pokers in each of their rear ends.

Thomas whose heart was always eager for more violence –could not bear this sight of it and looked away. Is this what we are? Are we no better than they?

Their brother, Johnny, asked them, why they do it?

There are times my dull Reader when keeping a head down is better than admitting the truth so the brothers offered no response. Edward merely shrugged and coldly told his brother to go to bed.

* * *

"Yes, master Watson?" Wanderer asked, grateful to the raised hand for interrupting her lecture. She did not feel comfortable behind the lectern as she usually did. The previous night with Philip had been different from the other nights. She had seen his face again –only this time she had shouted her name and Philip heard it. He'd been very angry and left the next morning before she woke up.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but …" The black-haired youth paused, struggling to word his question. His accent was that of his host and there was a faint recognition from her part. But it faded as he resumed his tale.  
"I'm not sure I understand. The Fire-Tasters actually … _ingest _the smoke from burning the Walking Flowers? Like Food my lady?" He tried to suppress the horror in his tone. Wanderer was not surprised, given his background on the Planet of the Flowers, at his strong reaction to the fate of a similar life-form on another world.

"Yes, they receive essential nutrients from this smoke. And therein lies the fundamental dilemma and the controversy of the Fire World –and the reason the planet has not been closed, though there has certainly been adequate time to populate it fully. There is also a high relocation percentage.  
When Fire World was discovered, it was at first thought that the dominant species, the Fire-Tasters, were the only intelligent life-forms present. The Fire-Tasters did not consider the Walking Flowers to be their equals –a cultural prejudice- so it was a while, even after the first wave of settling, before the souls realized they were murdering intelligent creatures. Since then, Fire World scientists have focused their efforts on finding a replacement for the dietary needs of the Fire-Tasters. Spiders are being transported there to help, but the planets are hundreds of light-years apart. When this obstacle is overcome, as it will be soon, I'm sure, there is hope that the Walking Flowers might also be assimilated. In the meantime, much of the brutality has been removed from the equation. The, ah, burning-alive portion, of course, and other aspects as well."

"How can they …" Johannes Watson trailed off, unable to finish as another voice interrupted, completing his line of thought.

"It seems like a cruel ecosystem. Why have we not abandoned it?"

"That has been debated, naturally, Elizabeth. But we do not abandon planets lightly." **Not until you consume all their resources!** "There are many souls for whom Fire World is home. They will not be uprooted against their will." She looked away, back at her notes, in an attempt to end the side discussion.

"But it's barbaric!"

The student, Elizabeth Seymour, was proving to be a challenge –one she was not to eager to take on. She had to remember that she was physically younger –also her Soul was younger- and so she tried to be as patient with her as she possibly could.

"Every world offers a unique experience. Unless one has lived on that world, it's impossible to truly understand the-"

"But you never lived on the Fire World," she interrupted her. "You must have felt the same way. Unless you had some other reason for skipping that planet? You've been almost everywhere else."

"Choosing a planet is a very personal and private decision Miss Seymour, as you may someday experience." Her tone closed the subject absolutely but it did not stop the other party from gazing pointedly at her.

**Why not tell them? You **_**do **_**think it's barbaric-and cruel and wrong. Which is pretty ironic **_**little Wanderer **_**if you ask me-not that you ever do. Oh, what's the problem? Are you ashamed that you agree with lady Seymour? Because she's more human than you?**

Wanderer shooed her off but having found her voice, and taking advantage at her frustration –when Wanderer was at her weakest and it was easier for Mary to reappear- she became intent on pestering her and taunting her some more.

In the seat behind Elizabeth Seymour, a dark shadow moved.

The Seeker -both of them thought. Clad in her usual white uniform except now she had a golden coronet and her white uniform was now in the form of a gown –similar to the one she'd seen in Earth's history books of Queens hundred years past.

Of course, she comes here to see the progress of her sister.

She resisted the urge to scowl at her.  
If Elizabeth Seymour wasn't her sister. Wanderer wouldn't even bother with her, but since she was, she had to be extra-patient. It was the only way she could be reintroduced besides, to her_ father_.

"Our time is almost up," she announced with relief as she looked at the clock. "I'm pleased to inform you that we will have a guest speaker next week who will be able to make up for my ignorance on this topic."

Before Elizabeth could open her mouth, Wanderer said in a voice of full authority –"Class dismissed" and exited the classroom before anyone did, aware that the Seeker followed her.

* * *

"I fear we are losing our humanity. Each day –I see Johnny walking devoid of feeling. Each day –I question myself if we are going too far."

"We are doing what we must. You said it yourself, without us– there is no one else to impose justice."

"The Cullens left this stronghold in my command. Without them the whole place has run amok. I cannot keep order. Carrie is not her brothers. I feel I'm not doing what I should be doing. I'm letting the dogs lose on my prisoners-"

"As you should."

"But is it the right choice? Who am I to decide whether they are guilty or not?"

"They are demons." His mother spoke passionately. "Given the chance they would do the same to you. You want them to take Johnny, is that it?"

"No mother, you know that is not-" but she held her hand up, silencing him.

"You let them take my dear Harry when you thought you could change your sisters back. You let him die Edward and now in a moment when you should be strong –you are weak. This is not what I expected from you."

"They took Mary."

"I know and I lament it but you cannot let that cloud your judgment. You have many people that depend on you. Do not disappoint them." _Again._

Edward nodded. "I promise." He was not going to disappoint his mother. He was going to work harder. Now more than ever that his wife was captured.


	8. Waking Up

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything but I am Goddess Supreme in this story and own the plot and OCs.**

**As with chapter four, there is a part of this chapter that is in the past. This chapter starts as such with Catherine of Aragon thinking back to her imprisonment then we move to the actual chapter, the present.**

**Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

"There must be a God amidst all this chaos." Katherine mumbled.

"Your Majesty. A visitor is here to see you." Her jailer said. His name was Jason Norman. What is his real name though? Katherine wondered, previous to the insertion. This Soul, she eyed him with eagle eyes, was different from the others guarding her cell. He didn't watch her with the same coldness. And there was something very familiar in his features. Something that reminded Katherine so much of her own mother, Isabella.

"Good, show him in." She said, recovering.

"Her, rather." The cell door clicked and a blond young woman, the same stature as Katherine came in, bearing a smug expression.

"Hello Katherine."

"Jane."

"No, not Jane. Her Majesty will do. You haven't heard the news?"

"I have and it pains me that Henry could have fallen so low for someone as you."

"Someone like me? Surely you mean someone as good as me."

"If your ego is as great as your tracking abilities, I'm certain that's your belief. Keep deluding yourself. Your overlord as his host, _my_ husband," she said possessively, gazing pointedly at Jane, "is overtly possessive and he will not rest until you bring him his heart's desire."

"And what makes you believe that I will shy away from that desire, Princess Dowager? I know my duty and I've done it. Surely you know that our technology allows us to tell what the sex of a child will be, before it's born."

"Like a soothsayer. You are no better."

"The world is at peace. Our technology has enabled human kind to reach its highest potential and achieve its dream of ever lasting peace. Why must you deny your own heart's desires?"

"Because my husband is not my husband. My husband was taken from me -by your race. And now you want to take my daughter."

When will it end?

Jane read her thoughts. "Never" She said primly. "Our Specials are scouring the coasts. We will find her Katherine and when we do, not you, nor the Cullens will be able to stop us."

"I have nothing to do with the Cullens."

"You don't but your daughter does. She's also in league with the Seymours, my brothers. She has something I want and she will get it for me."

"She will never work for you."

"She will. When she has no choice. When she sees her mother trapped in this dirty cell, she will have no choice but to help us and become one of us."

"You'd be willing to sacrifice my daughter for your brothers?" When she said nothing, Katherine continued, covering her sobs. "I thought you didn't care for any of them."

"I don't but the rest of my race do and it's our conviction that the younger they are, the easier it can be to subdue them. Children are very susceptible to images. When they start seeing violence at an early age it becomes near impossible to turn them into better adults. Therefore, I must get my youngest brother Johnny from their clutches."

She turned and left. "You won't succeed!" She heard the Princess Dowager say but Jane paid her no heed.

How wrong she would realize she was for not doing so later for, my dear dull reader, Katherine had many friends. Not just among the remaining brethren in Spain –the Hapsburgs, but also throughout Europe who sympathized with the Queen's plight.

* * *

**Waking Up**

**~o~**

"_She is very handsome and admirable by reason of her great and uncommon mental endowments."  
~The French envoy, Turenne on his report on Mary in February 1527 _

"How far are we from Sherwood forest?"

"Not far, my lady. We will be arriving to Cullen's cove very soon."

"All right, I don't want to get another splinter." Katherine said. **Eight years. Eight long years since she escaped from her captivity**. And seven since my dear reader our royal protagonist was introduced to the human rebels. Headed by Cullens and others, it was easy to adapt. There was no social distinction to be found here. No gender, social and other boundaries that had once separated their world existed here. It took Katherine a while to adapt and she took on her old name of Catalina, feeling that a piece of her had died when her surprising savior released her from Beauchamp Tower.

Catalina could still not fathom the news. She had to see it to believe it and my dear reader, seeing _was _believing.

The Cardinal against all odds, turned out to be His Majesty's greatest strategist and also his worst enemy. He had released Catalina from her cell and confessed to her without preamble that he had suppressed the Soul still inside him.

"_How?"_ She had asked and he merely responded with God's will. What the true reason for triumphing –where so many others had failed- over his Soul, he may never confess to her. Yet, it felt reassuring to know that a fellow human, even if this was Wolsey of all people, had won over the wretched Souls.

He was their contact –but not many knew this. Only a select few, he explained to her. Arwen, Currer, Bartholomew, Owen, and Carrie Cullen, who were the heads of the rebellion in England. And of course the Seymours. But they would not bother her. Wolsey said their presence would not be needed as much. And to avoid possible rows they moved her to Cleves.

Cleves along with several Muslim and Asian countries, and remnants of native empires in South of the Americas, was one of the few countries that still remained all-human.

The Souls had not given up, but rather than obliterating them; they let them be.

Catalina had searched for many answers in her head for the 'why' but who knew in truth what went through these demons' heads?

No! She chastised herself. She could not think of them as sub-species. Some of them after all, had been overcome by the human presence that had proven itself greater than the Souls'. And also, they had several of her loved ones in their possession. People who were still in there, waiting to be rescued.

She didn't see them as demons but as patients. Patients that needed help, that needed to be treated and freed of the parasite that afflicted them.

"You are sure is this far?"

"Yes, my lady. The men did not say how far, they only said thus."

"And by men you are referring to the Seymours I suppose?"

"Yes, my lady."

The men seemed to know nothing else.

Catalina followed him against her better judgment. They arrived at the stroke of midnight, just when the last guard's shift had ended and he was ready to place the cameras in his stead to watch over the camp.

"Is this all the security you have?" she asked Edward.

"It's the only one we can afford."

"You are thieves, surely you can forage for more parts."

"That's an elegant way of putting it," Edward said "but I'm afraid Madame that we need more than just parts to defend our base. We need men, which we've run short of."

"If you've invested more time looking for my daughter you wouldn't have lost more men."

"Forgive me Madame but I've spent a lot of time looking for your daughter and that has cost me a lot of men. My brother believes we can still bring her and use her at her expense to get to these demons but I refuse to put her through such ordeal."

"Nonsense. If I know my Mary –which I do- she is already on her way."

Ned smirked and gave a cold laugh. "Forgive me Madame but much as it both grieves and delights me to admit it to you, your daughter is truly lost. No host has ever overcome a Soul-"

"Wolsey has." But Edward finished regardless of the Princess Dowager's outburst.

"-like Wanderer. She's taken two hundred hosts, two hundred and one if we count the Origin."

"The Origin?"

"A myth nothing more." He said dismissively "She's not like other Souls. She's an old one and she's been about everything as my brother Henry has often said in the holo fliers."

"Perhaps not." Catalina said, balling her fists in anger. "She's not been in a human before. And your brother has warned his kind that wild humans are better be left as slaves or disposed of than as hosts for these creatures. Mary is a strong person, she would not succumb to these beings."

"It's not a question of strength my lady. Your daughter is lost and we can either accept it and keep fighting or we can sacrifice more men for a lost cause. Either way, we would not get back your daughter. Even if she's still in there, she'll not be the same. The Souls will come after us. She is very revered amongst their society, she is as old as their Overlord. The minute that demon is gone, they will be on our trail and capture every one of us. I'm not going to risk our people's safety for that."

"Even for your wife?"

"How do you-"

"I'm not blind mister Seymour, I read the reports just as well as you do. I may not have been of much use during my captivity but I learned to read and write in the creatures' language. The Overlord's Head Seeker intercepted a message from Henry Seymour before he was captured about your nuptials with my daughter."

"You condemn me instead of those demons for your daughter's capture." Ned asked, no, said, with a raised eyebrow. Catalina said nothing. She needed not to. Where it not for this man, her daughter would still be alive.

Ned was not blind to the accusation in her eyes and immediately jumped to his defense. "I loved your daughter and if I had any reason to believe she could still be saved, I would have gone into the facility myself and rescued her. But she was captured and inserted. There is nothing more to be done. I'm sorry your arrival here was for nothing. I will send somebody to return with you to Cleves. I'll personally see to your safety-"

"That is no need. I will stay here where I belong because unlike you mister Seymour, I know full well my daughter will return and that she's still alive." Catalina instantly turned away so the man would not see her cry and went to her chambers where she took a miniature of her daughter from when she was young.

Only three. Wipe your tears. She told herself. Mary will be back. –She was sure of it. Her baby would be back and she was still alive somewhere in the recesses of her mind. She just knew, she had to –otherwise her sole reason of being and enduring so much pain would be for nothing.

* * *

"Seeker."

"Wanderer. This is a surprise." Said the Seeker turning to the bastardized Princess. Funny, thought she. It was the first time she thought of the King's daughter as a Princess. She guessed she should She was after all their Overlord's daughter. "What brings you to my humble abode."

"I want to trade information."

"At the price of what?" She chuckled. The same cold, spine tingling sound that cut like razors through her soul. **If you had one**.

**_Not now Mary! _**She hissed.

**Curious you never call me by my name. Now you do. What changed? Did your darling Thomas fail to please you in your dreams?**

**_Please stop it Mary._**

**I know, it was Philip. You know why I hated him so much? He was always brooding and when he wasn't, he was showing off his trophies and what not. Your darling Comforter lied. We met twice before I escaped. He was very handsome. So handsome in fact that it could make even a nine year old, that place between her legs, wet. Is that how he makes you feel Wanderer? No?**

Wanderer cursed her in every language she could think of. She was adept in twelve –human ones. When she ran out of words to curse, she cursed in the other languages of species she'd been in previously.

This only made her worse.** I see what you desire Wanderer. You want Thomas. You don't want them to capture Johnny. You want to escape.**

**_No! Lies!_**

**Why don't we escape now Wanderer? **Her voice suddenly changed.** Let's escape now. Just you and me. We can run away together. Find the Seymour rogues. You can watch while me and my husband rekindle our fire. Just imagine he's Tommy.** She taunted but there was a pleading tone Wanderer found in her voice.

The Seeker watched her closely with a devious smile. Her voice snapped Wanderer from their conversation. "Little Wanderer trading off secrets, bargaining. I never imagined it possible. But an eye for an eye. You were never known to be gentle, even when you were the ideal preacher."

Wanderer waited for the Seeker's offer.

"Gentility is not among our race's qualities. Doesn't matter what we do, what we say to the new generations. Deep down we are all the same. Your host was right and that was why we had to put her down."

"I refuse to believe that. We make planets better for the races-" Her laughter cut her off her once more.

"Don't tell me that cock and bull story. That's for the new generations, not for us. You and your father have been through a lot. You've seen a lot." She emphasized. "You know what wonders the species we've inhabited were capable of ..." she made pause as if to add to a dramatic effect "… and the horrors."

"And that's where we've come in. We made things better." Wanderer replied confident.

"Do not kid yourself. We are no better than they, the only difference is that we had the upper hand. Linacre does not want to admit the truth –that we are a superior race." Her crooked finer invited Wander to occupy the empty seat next to her. She placed her hand on top of Wanderer's hand. Whereas hers was cold, Wanderer's was warm, pure warm.

"We are the future Wanderer, not them. They no longer matter."

"They are our Hosts."

She grinned, a diabolical grin she'd seen before in Edward and Thomas Seymour. She searched her memories if she'd seen it before in other Seymour siblings, but she was told the negative by the Seeker who must've read her efforts when she closed her eyes.

"There is only one human I care about and that's my brother, John."

"Why do you care so much for him? He's just a human boy."

"Not just any human. Before she was chosen; Jane Seymour had a strong bond with her young brother. Taking her was easy but there was a little part of resistance and that was her brother."

Wanderer waited to hear the truth.

"You want to know why I had less trouble taking over her where two other Souls failed? I bet you didn't know of that. No, of course you didn't. My, my little Wanderer. It seems dear old dad_dy dearest _didn't tell you everything." She sighed and ordered refreshments. She nearly empties the entire goblet. " The truth of the matter is I made a bargain."

* * *

Wanderer closed her eyes. She looked over the horizon. Her hands trembled. She'd nearly taken control over her body. No –Wanderer thought –I let her. She'd almost let her violent host take control of her body and she still felt disgusted about it as she remembered how her hands had wrung around the Seeker's neck.

_**No!**_ She drove her hands to her long wavy golden-auburn hair and looked herself at the mirror._ **Go away!**_ She screamed mentally. "Just go away!"

Her voice raised the attention of the servants sleeping in the parlor. The Seeker had placed them there after Wanderer failed to take control. It was only _his_ face, the reminder that he was still out there, that he was with her –in her dreams –guiding her through this stage of insanity –that helped her regain control.

"My lady?"

"Go away!" Wanderer screamed and seeing the terrible flash of silvery-grey in her eyes –telling the two servant girls that Wanderer was still in control- they obeyed, bowed their heads low, and closed the door to her chambers.

**_Why can't you leave me alone? Why?_**

**You know why! We should escape now.**

_**No! That's what she wants.**_

**So? Let's give her the pleasure. Use her as she intends to use you. It's not like you don't intend to.**

_**You don't understand …**_

**What is there to understand? You are the invader here. Invade, use your knowledge, your skills Wanderer and rebel. Be your own person.**

Wanderer gave a cold laugh. "Two seconds ago you were screaming demon at me. Why do you want to help me now?"

She didn't answer so Wanderer raised her voice, going to the wash-room, so the Seeker's spies wouldn't hear her. "Why?!"

Wanderer received no answer but was taken aback when she felt an immense surge of pain through her entire limbs and then she felt receding. Her vision became blurry, the room around her spun and she found herself surrounded by darkness.

Where am I? She received her answer in the shape of Mary, the true Mary appearing before her. It was her, yet it wasn't. This was the real Princess, her host. She realized they were trapped now in the confines of her minds. No –Wanderer corrected herself –our mind.

"I want you to help me."

"Why should I help you? The Seeker wants Johnny. If you care about him, you know what will happen to him."

"I know but she will not suspect this. I guarantee you. If we leave today, she won't suspect where we are going. We can be free."

"Free? There is no such thing as being free. They will hunt us. It's better where we are. If we escape they will come for us and they'll capture not only Johnny but your husband and …" she hesitated. The thought of turning her dream human into one of them –though the thought was alluring it was also repugnant to Wanderer. She shook her head vigorously and stared at Mary, saying defiantly –"We must stay here."

"No! I'm tired of living among your people. We must leave now. The Seeker won't suspect. I know these places better than you do. We can steal a boat. Cross the river and make it far into Sherwood forest where Edward will be-"

"Mary" Wanderer gripped Mary's arms and shook her. "understand, they will not stop looking for us! Our overlord will not let this little incident go unpunished."

"So? We have guns, and with our minds combined, you can teach us-"

"Mary, stop it! Just stop it! Listen to yourself. Don't you see? Our Overlord didn't want me occupying you because some small part of your father remained. He never cared about you or me." I can see that now –she thought, invaded by sudden sadness. "He wants your mother back."

"My mother? Why? I don't understand."

"Neither do I. I thought it was to insert her but now I'm not so sure. The Seeker also has plans, dangerous plans. You've heard her. It's not safe here, but at least we have people here who can protect us."

"No, you have people who can protect you. I have nobody, just_ you_." Disgust returned to her voice as she wrenched herself free of Wanderer.

"If you are not going to help me, then I will help myself."

Realizing she was determined, Wanderer did the only thing she thought of. Without warning she grabbed Mary and threw her to the ground, then closed her eyes willing herself to take control of her body again. When she opened her eyes, Wanderer found herself in the same room.

Mary wasn't giving up however. She was fighting. And realizing the only way to shut her down was agree or else, she took the latter route.

There was a window –not far from her room that had not been closed. Strange, yet Wanderer did not have time to make analysis. Her mind worked fast, faster than Mary's. And with a stronger conviction, she hunched back as she stepped outside and seeing no one in view … she jumped.


	9. Countenance

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything but I do reign as Goddess Supreme with my own creations and the plot.**

**Thanks to ladyjaxs999 for the idea of another flashback. Like before there will be many flashbacks, so pay attention, some chapters will start in the past then shift to the present, some as Chapter 4 vice-verse.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Countenance**

**~o~**

"_My tribulations are so great, my life so disturbed by the plans daily invented to further the King's wicked intention, the surprises which the King gives me, with certain persons of his council, are so mortal, and my treatment is what God knows, that it is enough to shorten ten lives, much more mine."_

_~ Catherine of Aragon; "Catherine of Aragon" by Garrett Mattingly_

"Madame." Henry snapped her from her chain of thought.

"Yes my lord?" She asked in a penitent and submissive tone that left no room for doubt about where her loyalties lay.

"Sweet Kat." He took her face and placed his lips against hers. "You know you don't have to be formal with me. I'm your husband, not your lord."

"Yes my lord … Henry. Yes Henry." She said showing herself more amiable.

He kissed her forehead then his lips fell against her mouth again.

"Your husband was a fool my sweet Kat. He didn't have to divorce you. He had his jewel right in you." He unlaced the back of her gown and did away with the rest of her garments. He took away his own and came into the bed, falling on top of her, starting at a soft rhythm then his pace increased.

Katherine came into her release first, thanking the Saints she didn't fall victim to pleasure like last time. The orgasm was quick and after he released, he withdrew and went to the far side of the bed, only turning to her briefly to tell her how pleased he was.

Katherine closed her eyes, chocking back a sob. She couldn't bear this torture any longer! Her husband was dead. Killed ironically by the very things that swore to protect him. It almost sounded funny. Katherine had laughed when she heard. She thought they were angels too, sent by God to correct her husband's mistakes but then when he lay with her, she'd seen in Henry's eyes that her Henry was gone. In his place stood a monster, unrecognizable from all the rest.

His people both feared and respected him. Katherine was alone and resigned to become one of them when Henry burst into their rooms and decided she was not going to be a Soul.

Katherine could have been happy except …

He found her with Thomas More. The Soul in Henry, jealous as her husband, mistook Thomas' affection for something more and sent him and Katherine to Beauchamp Tower where they lay for almost a year until one day Jane arrived. She was not surprised to see the scheming Seeker again, except she didn't come alone. Next to her was none other than her friend, More. She ran into his arms but he pushed her away.

"Thomas, will you leave us?"

The Soul bowed and left.

"What have you done to him?"

"I?" Laughed Jane "I did nothing. It's our Overlord you should thank. He caught you and decided the best punishment for you was to take your darling and turn him into one of us."

"I don't believe that Henry reached that conclusion alone."

"No. But you know His Majesty, he loves taking all the credit, and who am I to take away his glee? Of course he's not like the rest of us. Sir Thomas is an empty Soul, a drone if you will. We take away their consciousness and turn them into perfectly obedient servants. Most of the time we use them for breeding purpose, others as Sir Thomas, we use them for personal amusement, and torture." She said, kneeling next to the sobbing woman.

Katherine spent the rest of her days hoping that death would come since then. But her prayers were never answered. Had her God abandoned her? Was this her punishment for … lying?

She told herself she had to. It was her destiny to be Queen of England. She scoffed. What good was her arrogance now?

* * *

**"Milady**, a letter from mister Wolsey."

"His Grace, Wolsey. We may be defeated but we must still remember each other's titles." Catalina chastised and snatched the letter from the young boy's hands.

"Sorry, Madame." Catalina shook her head as if it was something not worth putting thought into it and dismissed the young Seymour boy.

She read thoroughly, reading more than once to make sure her eyes were not deceiving. "Mary" She almost collapsed. Her Mary had escaped and she was coming here.

She wrote a letter back to Wolsey and another to John and Francis who was taking refuge in Cleves, to give him her thanks and tell them she was all right and the delightful news her baby was coming home!

"Don't tell your brother. Give him any excuse." She told young master John. John inclined his head, making a respectful curtsy as she wanted and did her bidding.

Two long years. Two long years of waiting, hoping in vain that God would free her! Eight long years since she had to bear the pain of that monster! All her suffering was finally being repaid. God had answered her prayers!

* * *

I awoke at the sound of an eagle. "An eagle!" I exclaimed, despite being trapped within my body. "I thought they were all extinct." I feel the cool droplets of water. It suddenly calls to my attention how real they feel.

I am no longer a prisoner in my body. The sudden realization brings me to a state of pure catharsis as I will myself up and run in circles, extending my arms. This is real! This is real! Good God, I am alive and what 's more Wanderer is no more.

All of a sudden, my thoughts are brought back to the Soul inhabiting my body. "I am sorry Wanderer. I truly am." She whispered. But she had more important things to take care of. Besides, she is a demon. I told myself. There was no reason to feel sorry for her.

I ran as fast as I could. I could still feel Wanderer. She was screaming to turn back but it was too late. Besides, this was her decision as well.

I remembered how she fought against it after she fell, but at last I made her see reason and told her that it was either that or skip and a person as proud as Wanderer with that flawless record, would never skip. So she followed me. It felt good being in control again.

Her thought sighed faintly in my head as I continued walking: _**You never know how much time you'll have.**_

The tears I was crying belonged to both of us. Soon I'd be in his arms again. We could be a family, lead together and raise a family together –just as we always dreamed of.

However foolish it sounded I really reader at this time, that we would blessed.

* * *

"Your daughter Madame, I hope you're happy. She's escaped and she's on her way here."

"How do you know this? I don't suppose Wolsey told you?"

"He did and he told me she's very fast for a common human." Catalina's face turned hopeful. "It seemed, you were right. However, I don't want to invest on a false hope. She'll be detained as soon as she arrives."

"No. She's my daughter, if she could overcome her host, surely that means-"

"I already gave explicit orders." Edward said stiffly and she walked out of the room, unable to contain her fury. She yelled at the ceiling, cursing Edward Seymour and Lady Margery.

She'd put him up to this!

If it wasn't for that insufferable woman, she'd already had her Mary back.

She had to wait. But wait for what? Katherine sunk in a chair near her bed. Her daughter knew the forest better than they did. Her Mary always knew how to get around difficult situations. She was sure this was no different.

* * *

Mary struggled. Her knees finally gave up on her and she collapsed on the muddy floor. She was found the next morning by a farmer. His name was Royce –and he was blind. Thank God –she thought. He cannot see my cursed eyes. He had a beautiful farm.

"The last" he explained of human of settlement.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" She was compelled to ask. "I could be an invader for all you know."

"Hush little lady, quit your yapping and see. Hear." She thought the man was mad but did as he told her. "I see." She slowly said. Birds, deer, bunnies, and other creatures running through the vast green without anything and nothing to threaten them and to fear. "It is marvelous." She said her thoughts aloud.

"'Tis the Lord's great miracle to us. Those demons, what do they know? They come 'ere with their big machines. I tell ya little lassie. The day they conquer us, will be the day they conquer 'ese as well."

By the man's tone and vulgar mannerisms she could guess he was North, probably Scottish. Although she was not prejudiced, she couldn't help but notice these things. Throughout the years what had distinguished Mary had been exactly these things.

**_Convenient._** Wanderer whispered, listening behind the prison of her host's minds. Mary must have heard her because she heard as Royce guided her to the underground base where the rebels hid, a grumble.

Royce took note of this too but merely shrugged.

**How are you still alive?** She asked her within the confines of her mind, shutting herself to the outside world.

"I may be trapped but I'm not gone. Once a Soul is planted, we can never be replaced."

**What if someone were to try?** Mary asked, curious.

Dear reader for you who are dubious of Wanderer and Mary. They had a great relationship but like all great ones it was complicated one and Wanderer did not waste time responding to her victims' taunts.

The host will die of exposure. We keep our hosts' bodies clean. We secret a substance that rid them of diseases and make them for lack of better word –perfect." She said answering what she knew was on her mind.

"So you see," she went on, "if you were to remove me, you'd die and if you weren't lucky enough, they'd use your body as chattel for reproduction."

No! She wouldn't let those demons use her as a sex slave … No, she told herself repetitively.

Wanderer chuckled. The same sardonic laugh Mary had given her many times before. How ironic it felt. She was in control of her body, yet not of her mind. **You must be enjoying this.**

**_Au contraire Marie_** –she said in a sinister voice.**_ I'm just getting started. You wanted me to be the spectator so here I am. I'll sit idly while they hack our body to pieces._**

"Edward would never do such a thing." Not realizing she'd spoken her thoughts aloud, Royce followed the source of her voice, turning directly to her.

"What be the problem lassie? Yer not afraid of the Seymour lad, are ye?"

Mary shook her head.

"Aye, that be my thought. Don't be nervous. The Seymour man be a good fellow. The finest warrior I've ever witnessed."

How can you? Mary thought, but she dared not speak the thought aloud. She was with her own people now and if she wanted to convince them she was still one of them, she had to restrain her pride.

His company gradually became more exquisite as he told her of the battles he'd been in. The people he rode along side. Eventually he got to the part of how he lost his eyesight. "It was one morning night. February … March perhaps?" He waved his hand, considering the date unimportant. "Anyways, it was one Sunday night. The year of our Lord I remember well, fifteen twenty eight. We heard rumors ye see that the good Princess Mary had escaped. Me and the Missus were so proud that the rightful Queen's daughter had been restored to the line of succession. Not so proud of our King's doing, keeping the bastard Elizabeth though … but pardon me child, I'm digressing. We were washing clothing. I had a bad leg you see and was training my stepson to be the next warrior like his father. Fought alongside him in the battle of the Spurs." He gave a long sigh. "Good, old days. But where was I? Ah yes. His father, Ewan, was his name entrusted me the care of his wife and son. Loved that boy like a son. Then the demons came." His voice dropped, his tone changed altogether. His face twisted into an expression of pure hatred only masked by his voice sudden return to calmness. "My wife and I fought 'em like devils but the devil's hounds be strong. My stepson, Johnny, though. Poor boy. He was too stupid, not smart like his good old father. He was the first one to be taken."

"I am sorry." Mary said although she couldn't be sure if it was really her words that were uttered or Wanderer's. "I truly am."

Old Royce nodded slowly, his white eyes reflecting sadness. A look of pity crossed Mary's face and she placed a hand on his shoulder but he shook it off.

**_Leave him_** –Wanderer whispered to Mary and she heeded her.

"Ah, here we are. I can feel, you see, the edges of the wooden doors. The demons would think this an abandoned wine cellar and it was. Before the fighting began. My old friend used to store wine here. They paid us good money for this. Open up!"

"Password" A robotic voice said.

"It's old Royce. Damn ye!" The door was opened. Both of them were stunned to see metal.

This is new, Mary and Wanderer thought simultaneously. Last time she'd been here, Ned had forbidden the use of all machines.

I guess your husband realized it was impossible to beat us without a little help from our technology.

Mary ignored Wanderer. Let her complain. She had the upper hand. She was in control of her body and soon she'd be reunited with Ned.

They led them to the rotunda where Ned and his brothers, Thomas and Johnny came and to her surprise …

"Mother!" She let go of her protector and ran directly into her stretched arms but was stopped by Ned's command.

"Seize her!"

"Ned. It's me … Mary…"

"Seize the witch!"

Ned … Ned … Ned! She screamed. No longer realizing that her shock had sent her back to the dark confines of her mind. Forced to be a prisoner yet again, she watched as Wanderer's eyes flashed a bright blue and he screamed louder, filled with more hatred to take her to the prisons where she would await punishment.

**No! Ned! Please! Wanderer let me out!**

"No." Wanderer mouthed calmly, a calm smile playing on her lips. "You taught me the strongest shall inherit the Earth, well, now I play that trick on you. Neither of us will get out of here alive."

**Why are you doing this?! You wretched witch! You want to kill us all! This was your ideas wasn't it? Trick me into coming here, so you would get our location and the Seekers would come?**

**Tell me Wanderer. How far are they?**

"Will you shut up? No one is coming. You and I share the same predicament. We are on this alone."

**I don't believe you.**

"I don't care. Both of us are going to die. You're going to be getting your wish of meeting your creator."

**You demon witch!**

"You should try to stick to your story. First I was a demon, then a whore, now I'm a witch?" Wanderer snorted. "Seriously, no wonder why we took over this planet so fast."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that milady." A voice said from behind.

Thomas! Wanderer restrained herself from running into his arm. Her body grew completely hot as he approached her. No, them!

"I submit. You are rather too severe tonight. And you hold the same strong opinion of my brother as I do."

"How do you know it's not his wife you are speaking with? I could be playing you so I can gather information and find out if you are a traitor or not, and have Edward Seymour execute you?"

Thomas smirked. "You won't and you know why? Because you hate-" he started, going around her, and hissed in her ear –"my brother. You hate him …" he made a dramatic pause and with the same dramatic antics Wanderer had seen from her memories, he intoned in an over-afflicted voice –"… almost as much as I hate him but you can't tell anyone except your host and I doubt she'll be very lenient if she finds out the truth."

"She knows." Wanderer said back, turning her almond-shaped glowing blue eyes upon him. "Why should I trust you mister Seymour? You come here with the purpose to interrogate me, see if I'm worthy or not. You can tell your brother that he needs not to worry. Nobody followed me here. I escaped of my own free will."

"Impossible. _She_ must have forced you."

Wanderer shook her head strongly. "No one forced me."

"My sister in law is a pesky little thing. She doesn't rest until she gets what she wants. She is like my brother in that."

"You don't sound very fond of her."

"I protected her. I wasted all our resources looking for her and what does she do? The first man that escapes from her lips is Edward. Royce told me, she couldn't stop talking about him. You must've found it awful."

Wanderer blinked. A surge of jealousy arouse in Wanderer threatening to consume her. Without thinking she blurted out "You love her."

"Yes, I do. But what does it matter? She's my brother's wife and I'd be committing incest with the little wench."

Wanderer could hear Mary screaming in her head. She couldn't help but laugh at Thomas' jest. "What do you want with me?" She asked after their laughter subsided.

"I'm not sure. I was hoping I could find some trace of Mary but now that I see that you are unwilling to go, it'll be harder to convince Edward not to kill you."

**No! Edward would never do that!**

Wanderer silenced her. She looked pointedly at Thomas searching for the truth in his eyes. There was no deception to be found. She wondered if he saw her as she saw him. If he thought of her as beautiful.

No, I don't think he even sees me that way. It's Mary he's after. You fool Wanderer! First you let one control you, now you are smitten by one!

Thomas took another step forward. She didn't shrunk back this time, lost as she was in her own thoughts. He raised a hand but it never got to its destination. It was placed instead on her hand. He was surprised to find so much warmth there and when he looked up and their eyes met, he was even more surprised to find human emotion in the old Soul.

"My name is Thomas." He said with a reassuring smile.

"Wanderer but I guess you already knew that." There was no need for this but his voice brought her hope –a hope she hadn't felt since her last hope –and a hope Wanderer grew very dependent on in the passing days when he'd be the only one who visited her.


	10. Re-encounter

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Tudors belongs to history and Hirst's interpretation of them and Host belongs to Stephanie Meyer. But I do reign as Goddess Supreme in this story.**

**I appreciate your reviews to this story and thank everyone who's continued to follow this story.**

* * *

"How can you hate me Kat? Why do you insist on doing so?" Henry asked guiding her hands to his groin. She felt his swollen member grow even more under her touch. She stiffened. "Why do you insist on hating me? I have restored your daughter, our sweet Marie to her place. Soon she will be by your side my darling heart. It's just a question of when you'll sign-" His voice trailed off as he was caught by surprise by her crying. "Why Kat?"

Why? Did Henry really asked her that? Why? "You want to know why. Is old-washed-cow-web and Arthur's shagger not enough."

"Nay my Kat. You know as well as I do that those were not said of my free will. Your husband was under the spell of that witch's youth but now that you are with me Kat, you are youthful again. You are everything you once were. Doesn't that make you happy Kat?"

She couldn't answer that without forsaking her soul. It should make her happy. He had brought her hope and restored her youth. Things were as they once were, yet when her Henry made his dramatic return to her bed, he found a monster in his stead. Her vanity however was too strong and she gave a slow nod.

"I've given everything to you. Half the Earth is yours, it can all be yours if you just sign. Dear sweet Katherine, my Katherine," he cupped her chin, rubbing his thumb against her skin, feeling the soft texture. The former Queen guessed it was unlike anything the Soul had experienced in other planets. The way he spoke almost made her believe him. Part of her wanted to. It was better to believe a lie than to accept the truth. She learned this from a very early age when her mother would dismiss maids at the basis of _simple indiscretion._ Their excuse was _he _loved them. Innocent young women with good reputation, social standing, education, everything anyone could wish for; destroyed by one simple fling.

Did they know this at the time?

Yes, they had to. No one could've been that stupid but alas, love made you do stupid things but it was not tove –her mother had whispered to her ear before she sailed to England- that made them do these things, it was the beauty of the deception and the harshness of truth. It was always easier to accept a lie than to accept the truth.

"Yes, you've been giving me many gifts," she started, finding her strength as she recalled her mother's words. "but what comfort have they brought me? My daughter is being raised by your creatures and my friend, your friend is … gone… I never wanted any of this. Not the jewels, not the crown, I only wanted your love."

"And you have it Kat! Look at all I have built. Your husband was a fool. He didn't love you. He called you his concubine, his whore, his witch. I've treated you far better than he or any man of your species ever treated you. I've given you your life back."

Katherine broke into sobs. The monster that had taken over her husband resurfaced and Katherine closed her eyes, scared of what he would do. Kill me now, she whispered to the Almighty. Take me into thy Kingdom and I shall ask for nothing more except for my Mary, that you watch over her while I'm gone.

It never came. She opened her eyes to find him staring back at her with a mixture of bewilderment and pity. "Must you insist on testing me Kat? I've never done anything that could cause you harm but you've harmed me so many times."

"Please, let me see my child. I beg you Henry, my lord … let me see my baby. I have no one else-"

"You have me Kat. " He cut her off. "You have me! And as long as I remain our race's ruler I shall not let you go. I love thee Kat, more than the heavens, the universe itself. If you could only see what wonders lays for you. You could explore the stars, see new worlds, many new races-"

"New hosts."

"Ah, don't be cruel with me Kat. It's the nature of the universe. Only the strongest will survive. It has been so since the beginning. The big fish eat the little fish. And we are not like your planet's conquerors that takes what they want and consume everything for their own benefit. We treasure other cultures. We treasure our hosts. We treasure their planets. We keep their customs alive and above all we treasure the promise every new offspring of theirs bring." His eyes fell on her naked womb.

"We treasure every creature in the universe because they allow us to inhabit their bodies. We are their saviors Kat just as we are your species'. We have given you peace, order. There are no more involuntary deaths, rapes; it's all gone."

"What about what you said when you pretended to be in love with the whore Henry?"

"Ah, Kat will you never let that go? I said it so she'd believe me but nasty little wench. As soon as she became aware what I intended for her, she escaped but I caught her, I caught her good but she was too strong for the young Soul. It was a tragic loss but a necessary one and come to think of it not a total loss. She gave me Elizabeth and our Mary is very fond of her." He sniggered, the circular grey surrounding his iris, shining brighter as he remembered something. "Just last week she remarked before my entire Court that if God would be good, she could become just like Elizabeth so she would have our pretty eyes. Our daughter is strong. You should be proud of her. You've made her fearless."

At the mention of her daughter wanting to be like one of them, Katherine became nauseous.

"You should rejoice for I will not let any Soul take control of my darling, sweet Mary. She will remain a child. Innocent and pure just as you, love. I promise."

"Your promise-" again Katherine's scorn returned, "What good is your promise? You said you'd let Thomas go-"

"I did let him go but I couldn't let him interfere. He was too much of a risk, stirring my slaves, the human populous. I couldn't let him go Kat. I did it for the good of the nation."

"Yet you promised me! Just as you promised me you'd the great matter drop if your conscience was put at ease. Neither you nor my husband know the meaning of the word promise. Deep down Henry you are still the same."

"But I was under a spell on the latter by that witch. But now I am with you and I feel complete. You complete me Kat."

Katherine shuddered as he withdrew her hands from his crotch, thanking God for it, but finding it worse once he stripped himself and lay on the bed. He crooked his finger, inviting –no!- commanding her to lie next to him. "It is your sworn duty. The sworn duty of any wife, you said to me when we first lay together under the gorgeous bed. Scented sheets, your feisty Spanish tongue enticing me with your plainspoken manners. Kat, I long to recover those moments."

"You are mad Henry. What we had is dead. You said so yourself. Remember? When you came to me after the trial; you said it didn't matter if I was and I quote –fucking virgin- that was not the point. Then your mistress came and she said as long as I lived, you and her could never live together. You even went as far as to please her by becoming host to those monsters."

"Those monsters gave me a life. I was born again Kat. I saw the error of my ways and pushed Anne aside so I could have you again. I restored our sweet Princess Mary to her rightful title. Don't you want to see her again?"

"Mary …" She whispered. The name sounded so foreign to her. She sought her cousin's aid but once his letter came with a virtual transmission, all her hopes evaporated. He was taken too as hosts for these monsters, these parasites. They'd taken away everything and everyone she ever loved –except Mary. She was still human. As long as she lived, Katherine knew there was still hope.

She recounted to Thomas what Henry had told her in hopes he would break free from his course but he simple shrugged and said it was their Overlord's duty and as his slave, she should know better than to question his authority.

Katherine's face fell. Was there truly no hope? She received a greater blow when Thomas, or it (Katherine could not think of any better way to describe this thing that had taken over her friend), came to her cell to inform her that her daughter had escaped and she was nowhere to be found.

"Her Majesty, the Seeker, says to expect the worse. Given her condition and her age, it's fair to say nature has taken care of her. She's with milady's God if it brings you any comfort."

"No, it does not." Her Mary, her poor, sweet little Mary. Lost …

She could be lying in a ditch, freezing or dead … Katherine covered her ears as if to shut the voices of her mind but she couldn't shake them off. Deep down she felt guiltier because she knew she was responsible for her fate. If she had signed … God, if she had only signed from the very beginning when Henry wanted to divorce her for that Boleyn whore, none of this would have happened! The invasion could have been fought –and maybe won. She and Mary would live comfortably in some state enjoying all the privileges as befitted the King's sister and the King's First daughter.

"My Mary … mi nina … I'm so sorry … I'm so sorry…"

* * *

**Re-encounter**

**~o~**

"_It was a pleasant thing lying idly in warm room while her enemies wasted their energies and became entangled in a net of their own making."_

_~ My Lady of Cleves (p258) by Margaret Campbell Barnes_

Brought to the present Catalina asked the oldest Seymour when she could see her daughter. He told her there would be no happy reunion until he was done interrogating her. Catalina was forced to sit behind a crystal which Edward told her was one way glass. The person at the other end would only see her reflection while the person behind the glass would watch the former being interrogated.

Catalina remarked this was Soul technology and they should get rid of it. Nothing good ever came of it, but as usual, Edward's mother, Lady Margery Seymour, defended her son's aid and so did his younger brother, Thomas, saying this technology was not only vital but completely safe.

"How much longer does she have to stand this?" She asked Lady Margery. She knew the latter to be a loyal daughter of the Old Church but the war had transformed into something far more different and despicable in her eyes, than any of them could have ever foreseen.

"As long as it takes. Do rest Your Majesty. My son shall make sure your daughter remains unharmed."

Catalina laughed scornfully. It was the first time that she had addressed her by her old title. It seemed to fade as she heard Edward Seymour's voice. This woman was her mother, she raised him, she taught him everything he knew except for his faith –that, he taught himself.

"How long before he realizes my Mary is still in there Lady Margery?" asked Catalina with the same courtesy.

"Your son in law is a capable man. He is not a monster if that is what you are suggesting –which we both know you are. He swore before your mother's rosary no harm would come to your daughter."

"He doesn't believe in the old ways."

"No," the older woman admitted "but he is a faithful Christian and like I he never fails to fulfill his promises."

Catalina said nothing more. Eventually she grew tired of watching and politely excused herself from the room.

* * *

If she could find a way, she could keep Mary out of the Seeker's hands and Edward's. She didn't like Edward and vice-verse –that much was plain by the way he interrogated her.

"Where were you headed? What is your purpose here?"

"Nothing. I merely wish to continue with my voyage."

"Where?"

"I don't know." She said in earnest.

Edward chuckled. "Leave us." He said to the others present. "I want to know is my wife still in there as you claim?"

"I am sure of it."

"Is she speaking to you right now?"

"Yes."

"What does she say?"

She could not tell him that his wife begged her to take control and confess all her sins to him. It would break him. She chose instead, against every natural instinct she possessed, to lie. "She begs you to listen and to release her." Part of this was true though the other part Wanderer altered it so she would not have to go to reveal the truth.

"I wish to talk to her."

The change in his voice startled me just as much as his request. "Now?" She couldn't contain my surprise.

His silence and hardened gaze were enough to answer. She yielded.

* * *

Wanderer plucks me from my fortress of solitude and grants me control of my body. Ned's hardened features catch me by surprise. Something in my expression must have moved him reader, because in less than a second I can see it softening. He rushes into my open arms and I embrace him very strongly. I can feel being tickled by his facial hair as we part and he leans forward to kiss me.

Oh reader if only you had been there! It was the greatest moment of my life. Possibly _the _greatest. It would only be rivaled when I was reunited with my mother.

"Where is she?" I did not hesitate to ask. This is where Wanderer and I were different. She hesitated, she was proper, prim and posh while I on the other hand had enough of being those things. Life was cruel. The world was cold and if you wanted to survive you had to be twice as cruel and twice as cold –that was the philosophy I lived by and so far it had kept me alive.

"She's been asking to see you. She's heard of your return from Wolsey…"

**_Wolsey?!_** Wanderer screamed. It's been the on secret, the one memory of my encounter with the Cardinal, the Archbishop of York, and my godfather, that she's never been able to access.

I keep that secret victory to myself, not telling Ned. Not that he need to know, he's probably already figured it by now and being the smart and practical man Wolsey has always been, he would have worked something out if Wanderer revealed the secret to the Head Seeker.

"My poor mother," I exclaimed, "how she must have suffered. Why didn't you come looking for me? I waited for you. You don't know what I had to endure-" He placed two fingers on my mouth and then gave me a light kiss.

"I couldn't risk the lives of my men. Thomas suggested we go looking for you."

"Thomas?"

"Yes, he believed you were still alive."

"What did he have to gain from this?"

"You mustn't be angry at him. The fault lies in me. If I had known what you had endured, it would have been me organizing the search party."

"Do not blame yourself Edward. You did what you had to do. I would have found a found a way if Wanderer didn't let me, you know I always do."

Ned returned my smile and kissed me again, this time more passionately and I responded by twining my arms around his neck, bringing my body closer to his.

"How long will she let you stay?" He asked.

I shook my head. "I don't know. She only said enough to enjoy your comfort."

"Then let's stay true to her promise."

They released me and Ned filed all the paperwork. Amidst all this chaos, it was important to be reminded of the old world, rank, order, and keep something of our civilization alive through our procedures.

Ned walked me to his chambers. Our chambers –I rephrase. And tosses me to the bed. Disposed of all our clothing he comes to kisses my roughly, separates my legs from one another, and enters me just as roughly.

I plunge my teeth into his mouth, feel the blood coarse through my lips as he moans, partly because of pain, partly because of the pleasure that pain brings him; and dug my nails into his fair Wentworth flesh as I feel the length of his passage against my weak sheath.

No … No … No … I scream as I feel his seed, seep rapidly into my fertile garden. No! I don't want to receive his seed. I'm not worthy … But it is too late, with his breath hitched he continues to piston and I feel myself lost in the moment that all my fear of losing control is forgotten.

I must be strong. But I can no longer feel my body. I can't even feel Wanderer. She is there somewhere, the demon witch –and she must be enjoying this –I think, as the walls of my cave are practically destroyed. I'm suddenly overcome by this feeling of fulfillment and deep catharsis. I gasp for air and give out a powerful cry to rival my lover's howls as we reach the ultimate peak and our souls join, becoming one in every sense of the world.

I'm drunk with pleasure. I'm swimming in an ocean of sex and I can feel his manroot sprouting forth more of his tribute and my womb welcomes it. I cry out his name over and over until my voice runs dry along with his and in spite of losing consciousness I can still feel my body, eager, addicted, responding, and moving at the same rhythm.

* * *

Wanderer woke from her deep slumber. She half-expected to find Edward Seymour lying next to her. To her great relief she woke in an empty bed. "Thank the heavens." She thought using one of Mary's favorite expressions.

She was becoming more and more like Mary. Everything she did reminded her of Mary yet there was a significant contrast. Her heart ached for Thomas while Mary's was still in Ned Seymour's safekeeping.

She dressed. She chose a simple grey gown with light brown leather pants underneath that allowed for greater mobility.

"Rather big dress for a mousy girl."

"Who says so Mister Seymour? I believe in being prepared. In the other worlds prior to this one, I used to dress in the finest fabrics available before I went to meet my target."

"A warrior." Remarked Thomas, suddenly growing very interested.

"Nay, I abhor war. I abhor it with every fiber of my being but I recognize the necessity of it, should it be the last recourse."

"So you did fight."

"A little." She confessed. "Our Overlord did not allow me to fight in the last two worlds. Rules were different there. My hosts were very different from the first but arguably they are considered the best."

"To whom?" He asked.

"You are mistaken mister Seymour if you believe that I am a warrior at heart. I am a-what is the phrase amongst your kind?- lover not a fighter? Yes, that's the term." Mary's sagacity was not always so displayed in a way so satisfactory to humans. But for the younger middle Seymour, she allowed for an exception. "It was not so often as the Seekers would like. Initially I was to be one of them but my … our Overlord determined I should be a Special instead."

"And were you?"

"Two months, three days and twenty four hours, Earth time."

Thomas laughed, highly amused. "You keep exact track all the time?"

"It is in my nature and my profession demands it. Not all Specials are warriors."

"I never said you were-"

"But you were thinking it." She said looking pointedly at him. "I like what I do mister Seymour. I teach my race, I help them appreciate the culture they are in and remind them of our prior conquests."

"So you are benevolent conquerors. How wonderful, it makes it all the easier for you not to question your ruler's actions."

"We don't have autocrats. We are of a collective mind. We all work for the good of one another."

"No one, pardon me milady, no species in this universes works for the good of others. You didn't come all the way to improve our race. You came because you wanted to conquer, you wanted to exploit and use this planet resources for your own benefit. You are no different from us, you are just here for profit. When you are done, you will move on to the next planet."

"You are wrong mister Seymour. We don't move from planets simply out of pure whim like you do from your colonies. We stay and improve the planets' condition not just for our benefit but for the benefit of all the races inhabiting this planet, including yours."

"As your slaves."

"If we were to strip you of your consciousness you would rebel, if we were to give you freedom, you would rebel. It is better that we let you stay where you are. As slaves you run at no risk of harming yourself or others."

"The benevolent conquerors." He said once again with a mocking smile.

This man incensed her. He was testing her yet she was enjoying his challenge.

"You can see as such if that is what you wish, but we are not tyrants. Our species was not made to be cruel as yours. We are after all here to please, to serve, and obey our race's demands which are peace and prosperity." She said lastly, turned, and left smiling to herself, unknown that he was also smiling and his gaze followed her.


	11. Undisclosed Desires

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything save the characters and the plot where I do own as Goddess Supreme ;)**

**Many thanks. To Becky and to Mimi whom without I couldn't have gone this far. Thank you so much, I wish you luck on anything you do, on your families, on your dreams. Never give up, keep dreaming, keep doing good, and keep having that positive, awesome attitude.**

**Thanks to ladyjaxs999 for her previous suggestion.**

**Finally, thanks to all my reviewers.**

**R/R**

* * *

**Undisclosed Desires**

**~o~**

"_Death is coming to everyone and everything."_

_~Melissandre; Game of Thrones season 3 trailer_

She felt interested in a man who seemed more exaggeratedly reserved than herself.

When he saw her stepped down from the thopter, turning off the energy field with a push of a button, he took out his hand and offered to walk her back to the base.

"Royce. Tell my brother, the lady will be with him shortly."

"Aye me lord." The man said grudgingly.

"I don't think he likes me." Said Wanderer laughing. Thomas laughed back.

"He will have to get used to it. Nobody likes a woman who can take charge of other men, especially foreign women."

"Do I seem that dangerous to you?" She was interested to know.

Thomas smirked, grinning at her naivety. Something in her eyes, she believed, must have amused him.  
He cupped her face. "Not at all."

"Careful mister Seymour. You don't want to test your luck."

"No?"

"No. Your brother and my host might have your head."

"I care less what my brother says and much less what your host says." And nearing her lips, he could feel her trembling under his touch, hesitant to give in to her most basic desires.

"Thomas …" she breathed. When he kissed her it was like a spark had been ignited. Pain flashed before her eyes. Mary fought the Soul with every inch of her spirit. Wanderer warded her off, focusing on Thomas, his eyes, his touch, his kiss …

She moaned inside his mouth. He embraced her, pulling her closer until their bodies became one.

No … no … Wanderer's mind was not making sense anymore. She wanted to pull away –but a part of her, the most basic said to enjoy this. The Comforter said it was important to have intercourse or else human bodies turned wild and unruly, especially when they were in their most hormonal stages.

He searched for a more private place where they could consummate their passion without worry. Thomas looked to the room behind her. Why hadn't he noticed it before? He briefly pulled away, grabbed her hand, and led her to his own chambers and as soon as they were there, he resumed his ravishing of her mouth.

She felt his tongue being forced upon her and she liked it. She loved this feeling of being possessed … taken … Her hands found their way to his raven hair and buried them underneath as he undressed her. Carefully and seductive, wishing to imitate his every caress to her skin, she moved her hands downward, searching every inch of him as she undressed him in the same fashion as he did her.

Finding his male organ, she hesitated until she saw his grin. He silenced her doubts whispering in her ear –"Go ahead, you have my permission. Touch it." –And, possessed by his voice, she did so and felt it grow and felt him shook as she searched every corner of it. Wanderer's curiosity would not be put to rest until she found out –from Mary's memories- what it felt. With a violent and animalistic instinct, she turned him, inverting their positions so he was on his back against the hard mattress as she lowered herself to his groin.

His eyes went wide.

Without thinking twice she engulfed his male member with both hands, caressing it, getting him started, and then –fueled by his moans and her name being called out- she brought it to her mouth.

"Mmmmm … mmmm …. Mmmm…. Mmmmmm…."

His eyes rolled to the back of his head. The sound made him bit his lower lip, holding on to the sheets madly as he restrained himself from releasing. He wanted to release while he was inside her, their bodies intertwined –not like this, in this vulgar position. But he could not control his body and his seed flooded in her mouth, nearly chocking her but she carefully swallowed and continued on to suck, leaving him dry –or so he thought. She came up, in a daze. Her body was shooting adrenaline and she found herself wanting more.

Cleaning her lips from his tribute, she brought him from his own daze with a powerful, all-consuming kiss. He immediately opened his eyes and raised his hands to her back, pressing her body forward.

She spread his legs and following her body's instructions she positioned herself right in between his member. "The first time it hurts." He warned but she didn't listen. Her mind was aching, she felt she would die if she did not do this. She told him as much.

"Then your wish is my command." He said and then –as he predicted- she felt pain, immense pain. She whimpered and grabbed on to his shoulders, hoping it would lessen the pain but it never did.

She suddenly began to regret her decision when … when all of a sudden … peace … tranquility … she could feel herself floating amongst the clouds, she could feel all the thousands of lives she'd lived, the worlds she'd been in, resurface. She could feel herself as Om, her last host, fighting off the waves as she navigated through dangerous currents.

Thomas increased his pace. He didn't want her looking like a half-crazed fool. He needed her to open her eyes for, what was about to come, she had to be conscious.

She felt a violent thrust and she was pulled back from her memories and she looked down on Thomas. Her dark grey eyes found his sapphire ones. His hand traveled to her flaming curls pushing her lips against his. "The best is yet to come. My gift to you."

She did not have time to ask, his manroot exploded inside her and she moaned while their lips were still locked; overwhelmed by this sudden sensation. A spasm shot through her body; moving at a faster pace than she intended, her adrenaline levels rising; her body had taken a life on its own and she was no longer in control but she enjoyed every thrust, every touch of his lips all the same.

* * *

Catalina closed her eyes, a tear falling from her left eye as she raised her hands and joined them together in prayer. Standing before the altar of the Virgin, she asked the Holy Mother for forgiveness. She had soiled herself; she had allowed herself to be taken by the sin of pride.

She believed that Henry had changed, that the Souls –like everyone else- were benevolent Spirits –angels, Saints, messengers of the Apocalypse- sent from Heaven to right Earth's wrongs.

She had been such a fool! As soon as the whore was dead and Henry came to her, she vowed she would never let him leave her. She asked God nothing else but to grant her, her wish to have Henry by her side until the end of times. What a fool! What a complete fool!

She should have known when she saw his and all others around her, their eyes possessing the same shining blue ring around their iris. But she had been blind.

Holy Mother of God! She beat her left breast with her fist. "Mea culpa! Mea culpa!" she had been so wrong.

_So wrong …_

* * *

"We've sent our best Specials. There is no sign of her." Jane said.

"Then find her! By every means necessary. Find her!" Couldn't these Souls do their jobs? It was their age, he thought frustrated with their efforts –or, rather lack of. If he had young, mindless Souls who didn't question his orders, simple drones, then he'd be fine! But no, he had to implant these useless Souls into these useless beings!

"My lord… Henry …" She knelt, a delicate smile playing on her lips. "Leave us," she ordered. She placed a soft hand on his shoulder and said with that same delicacy, "… my love … we shall find her and we will bring here. She shall be one of us –just as you desired."

Henry did not want to look but her deceptive voice captivated her. Jane understood him, he knew how to play him and he enjoyed her because she was his equal. "We shall find her. We shall bring her here. We will be a family, the worlds shall be ours to rule. Every Soul, every being shall bow to us."

His face twisted into a sadistic smile, pleasure surging through him as he thought of all there was out there to conquer. In a few centuries everything that was out there, everything that would be, would be theirs.

They were like locusts moving from planet to planet until they consumed their resources but unlike locusts for every resource they consumed, they planted the seed back into the fertile soil so their crops, their sustenance, would never end. With this, they became the rulers of countless worlds.

She took his hand and brought it to her face so he could feel the warmth of her host's skin against his but when Henry did, he felt nothing and he wrenched his hand away disgusted.

"My lord …"

"Leave …" Jane glared. "I said leave! Leave me be!"

Jane had never been angrier. She swallowed her anger, nodded to her Overlord and left.

That bitch. That two time backstabbing wandering bitch! Oh the name suited her. She was a little wanderer, rebellious and unruly just like her host.

Perhaps there was my error.  
She let Henry proceed with this venture. She consulted with Sir Francis, her lover and second in command, and together advised Henry on the consequences of having Wanderer placed in such a rebellious body but Henry … oh Henry had allowed his host's feelings to get in the way.

Wanderer had been among the Overlord's favorites. A Chosen.

Jane slammed the door behind her. She'd let Wanderer slip under her finger for the last time! She was not going to be made a fool again.

At this moment Sir Francis came into the Head Seeker's office to deliver an important message. "They've found her." Jane chuckled, watching with glee as computer gave her the exact location from the coordinates Sir Francis had given her. "There is more," Francis said, bringing one hand to her waist, letting the other push her skirts, and sliding it between her legs up to her v-mons where he touched on her wetness. "His Majesty has not revealed to you the truth behind his decision not to insert on his first wife."

"I am his first wife." Jane said, keeping herself from squealing like a dolphin like the last time they'd been together.

"That, you are. But, our Overlord is still very much in … love with the old Queen. Old-doting, Queen," he said in that special tone that he knew would rankle her. And he risked it, knowing he would get more satisfaction out of it. "Katherine of Aragon." He buried his fingers in her cave, squeezing her juices. He yearned to be inside her. Old Harry would not care. Their Overlord had the brats he wanted and as long as Wanderer continued missing, her brat would continue on top, and, (eventually) become the new Chosen.  
"He knows she is here. One of our thopters was stolen by your brother. The King knows that his host's wife is there…"

"But he doesn't know her location." Jane finished for him. "So His Majesty is waiting for a royal flush. How about we help her, you and me and … get little Jane Seymour's brother from out of there?"

"What about Wanderer and the rest?"

"Let Wanderer remain their prisoner, she can rot there for all I care, I am only interested in getting the Spanish Princess and Jane's little brother."

"You are evil my lady, you bring a strong wind of misdeeds with you …"

"Nay, Sir Francis. I'm merely fulfilling my Calling." She said, purring something else in his ear that to his delight only confirmed his suspicions.

He took her there on her desk enjoying every time he made her cry. But while he was lost in his own lust, Jane cried thinking of the many new ways she would torture the Spanish Princess.

* * *

She had sucked him dry of his love juices. Her sheath was just as eager as her mouth. After he withdrew, he gave a long sigh and then groaned when he woke the following morning.

Greedy little wench Wanderer. She'd ruined him for any other woman. She'd done something to him. Nasty little witch, she'd cast a spell on him with her alien magic and turned him into her sex-slave.

A smile danced on her lips, showing his white-pearl teeth –so rare on a non-slave human- as he said the term.

He would enjoy every part of her. He pushed the covers to her chest and got out of bed, going for his clothes that were scattered around the room. He dressed and went outside against Royce's warnings for fresh air. He didn't see the dark shadow hiding behind the apple tree. Savoring the fruit's sweet juices he was reminded of her own. "Sweet mother of God." He swore taking larger bites. From the size of her breasts to the space between them, her hips, her lips and sheath … good, gracious, loving God! He'd never had such a great fuck in his life.

He briefly wondered about her mother. Technically, she wasn't her mother. But Thomas still felt a responsibility to talk to her. The Spanish Princess would probably be as cordial to him as she was to his brother. Since she'd been re-admitted, she had tried to take away her daughter (without much success) from her husband. She believed Ned was responsible for her capture.

Thomas dropped the fruit and picked another one.

Just then, he felt great pressure on his neck and something –or, rather someone- turned him violently and pinned him against the trunk of the tree. "Ned…"


	12. In Control

**In Control**

**~o~**

_"Alien slugs invade earth and seize control of human action by latching on their spinal cord. What would be more horrible thing to this individualist than to have aliens taking over? And making you betray everything –willingly? Betray your country, betray your own individual beliefs?"_

_~"Prophets of Science Fiction: Robert A. Heinlein"_

"We find her, we find the Resistance." Jane stressed on her husband. Her husband turned his head away.

"Is that what you told me about my host's former wife?"

"My lord, I did as you asked. We searched everywhere-" He held his hand up and his eyes shined greater than she'd ever seen on any host, except Mary but that was understandable given Wanderer inhabited that body and she had always been a handful.

Perhaps that's why she took pity on her host. The Head Seeker thought. She was sure that was the reason. Wanderer always found the beauty on every world, she always rebelled against full destruction and occupation. Despite being matter of factual, the little wench still appreciated the beauty of all her hosts by refusing to take their names, their identities. She said it was because it was disrespectful but the Head Seeker knew better –it was because Wanderer both pitied and admired these creatures.

"Almost every human has been successfully occupied. One little human is of no consequence, she will be assimilated-"

"I do not want her assimilated! I want her here now in my presence!"

"It could prove dangerous. Un-assimilated humans are harder to control. Not even as slaves-"

"They have not rebelled."

"Some have! My lord, we must be harsh, it is the only way these humans learn how to behave."

"Do you know why we keep some beings as slaves?"

Jane said nothing, her expression remained unchanged, neutral but Henry could see doubt forming in her, working very hard to find an answer. Even when she was in another host, she was still very easy to read. The other Souls feared her, they kept their eyes down but not him. He knew how her mind worked and what made her tick, and how easy it was to get in her head.

"Hope. We give the humans hope. We make it easy for them to give up their individuality, to form groups and the larger the groups the more potential hosts and slaves that means for us. Yet you … you have let not only our greatest and one of our oldest Souls escaped. You have also let your own obsession take control of you."

"That is not-"

"Let me finish." He said calmly but to Jane it sounded more like a hiss.

"You let others believe you are in control but truth is you are not. You've let your host control you and her obsession to find the youngest Seymour member has clouded you from your objective as well."

"I have given you a son. I have given your _daughter_ Wanderer a host, your host's daughter. I've given countless bodies to our older and younger Souls. I've trained your greatest army and been on many conquering missions on other parts of the galaxy. We have two more worlds added to our list and a greater number of hosts than you could have ever hoped for. I've done far more than any other Soul." Far more than Aleera –was left unsaid but Henry caught her meaning.

"Yes you have." The Overlord said. "And I'm very proud but don't forget you failed to take over your** first** **host**. She overpowered you very easily and this host didn't offer resistance when you took her and yet you are still having trouble controlling her."

"No one controls me. I have killed her and taken over this body successfully. No one could have predicted my first host's resistance. She was fighting for her child's life, it's very hard to take over a host with a strong maternal instinct."

"Jane Seymour was also fighting for her family's life, that's also a strong human instinct, something you will never understand in a million years."

"And you do."

"Do not turn this on me. I am in complete control of my emotions but you, you have let that creature take control of you. The human is in control of you."

"I overpowered her." She continued to insist, her voice rising.

Henry gave a sadistic grin. "No, you haven't. I can see her right now in you. You want that child. You made a pact with her, didn't you?" Henry rose from his chair and walked to Jane. "You made a pact with that human bitch and took her with you."

Jane shook her head vigorously, her eyes flashing the anger she felt. "Perhaps it is you" she said gritting her teeth as Henry continued smiling at her. "who has grown too close to your host's emotions. I've made sure that I don't pity these creatures, I've made possible every effort of colonization, my lord. I have taken into my bosom your worries, carried your brat and seen to his insertion and to his rearing along with the Princess Elizabeth. Do. Not. Question. My. Loyalties." She said in a deathly voice.

Henry only continued to smile and sat back against his armchair, laying back, feeling the soft cushion against his back. It was one of the things of being a human that the Head Seeker suspected their Overlord was_ fond_ of. Human emotion and the sensation of touch.

* * *

"Ned … please!"

"It just like you isn't? Spoiling every man's wife for your own enjoyment. You love spoiling maids! You always loved spoiling maids"

"She is not a maid-"

"Shut up! Shut up and be silent!" He was shaking with anger, Thomas had never seen him like this. Fear gripped him and Thomas felt near to Heaven's gates as Ned squeezed harder.

"I could kill you right now and I'd be doing the world a favor. Nobody wants you! Nobody has wanted you since you defiled our house's name. Since it was known you've defiled my wife and she bore you your bastard I had to pass up as mine."

He eased his grip. "What do you say to that Thomas? What do you say that?!"

Thomas opened his mouth but Ned squeezed again and Thomas gasped for breath looking angrily at his brother, demanding he let him go.

"It's so typical of you and don't tell me it's because you fell in love with her-"

"T-t-that…" Thomas gasped feeling the pressure, "is it."

"You don't feel love for anyone but yourself. You are just like father fucking everyone in that moves. You love corrupting young maidens. Face it; you've always resented me and sleeping with her was your perfect revenge against me."

That much was true. He had fallen for the flaming vixen since she stumbled on their camp. She was beautiful, smart, a warrior like her mother. Thomas had courted her and tried to charm her but every time he approached her, it was as if something within told her he was dangerous and she would make an excuse to leave his presence. He hated when Ned announced he would marry the former Princess. Thomas could not sleep, could not eat, thinking of his brother's impending marriage. He drunk himself to sleep and the next day before the wedding, he visited her quarters, still drunk, and tried to convince her to call off the wedding, telling her of the big mistake she was making. She would not hear him. She smiled and looked at him with eyes of pity.

"I cannot be yours Thomas. I have given my heart to Ned but there is no reason why you and I cannot be friends."

Friends! Friends! That's all he would ever be her! Friend, a loyal, loving friend! Her confidant, her sweet, her fool-hearted platonic lover.

Bah! Thomas did not need her. He did not need anyone. He bolted and spun around violently running to his room. Never again –he vowed- was he going to give his heart and harbor aspirations for a woman.

But then Wanderer came and she was different. She was confused and frail. It was the perfect opportunity for Thomas to woo her. But as the days passed, Thomas realized she was more than just another conquest. She was even more than Mary, she was an extraordinary being whose single voice commanded and demanded obedience and respect.

"I love her." Thomas said finally and seeing his brother's honesty, an honesty Ned had never witnessed before in someone as wretched and backstabbing as Thomas, he let him go.

"I love her" he repeated, falling to the floor, coughing. "and you are not going to keep her from me. I fucked her and I would fuck her again and lick that delicious cunt of hers if it meant spiting you."

His fist connected with his jaw then he turned and left, leaving Thomas with a broken nose.

* * *

_No! I run away from them._

"_Come with us!"_

"_Like hell. I'd rather die" I escape the only one way I know how. I jump from the window. The fall alone will kill me. I don't care._

"Ah!" Wanderer screamed.

"Enough! You've made your point! You hate the Seeker! You hate my kind and you probably hate me more now but I won't let you take control of us."

"Us?"

"It's the first time you refer to us as us."

She realized she was speaking from her own mouth. "Yes. Us! We are One. You can't resist any longer. And whether you like it or not. We are One!"

"No, I will never accept that."

Ugh! Wanderer was frustrated with Mary's pride.

"She could bring a whole army on our heads!" She heard a voice she nor Mary recognized outside Thomas' rooms.

"Lady Margery." Mary answered for her, her voice was loud enough to call Margery's attention.

"Mary dear. Who am I speaking to? Mary or Wanderer?"

"Mary, Madame."

"Ah well, then so, you will know to go back where you came from."

"What?" She asked, very disappointed at her mother in law's attitude.

"Lady Margery it's still me." She moved closer but Margery wrenched her hand away before she could take it. "Please, this is still me. I am in control of us."

"Us? You pity this creature?"

"It's not a creature, it's a being just like you and me. Wanderer is on our side."

**_Am I?_** Wanderer asked from within her mind. She was surprised that Mary was speaking on her behalf.

"If I could speak with you. I think you'd understand." But Lady Margery moved away until she bumped her back against the wall. "It's me."

Margery spoke harshly to her. "You don't know what you could bring on us. You could bring a whole army on our heads, is that not true mistress Howard?"

Kitty! Mary screamed mentally. She finally took notice of her friend lying next to the spot Margery had stood.

Kitty seemed unsure whether to speak or not and her lip trembled when she did. "You don't know what she's been through Lady Margery to find your son."

"Aye, and now she's dragged us into her personal war."

"This was already a war Margery! You know that better than I! The Seekers will not stop until they see every human being consumed. Do you think they will stop with just me?"

Part of Mary's old spirit returned. She smiled within as did Wanderer.

"Nobody is leaving here, mother." Said Ned returning from his row with Thomas.

"Ned, my son, you must be out of your mind. You realize what she is capable of!"

"I do mother and as long as Mary is in control, we are safe-"

"As long as she is, except, that Mary is not always in control. It's very clear she can't keep that thing in control."

"That thing, as you call it, is now part of her and we will have to make peace with it."

"First you lure my son now you let that thing take control of you and lure Thomas!"

"Mother please! No one lured anyone. Thomas is just that way with the women, he loves taking advantage of frail creatures."

"I am not frail" Mary gasped realizing she'd confirmed her mother in law's suspicions. Her hands flew to her mouth.

"See? See? That's what I was talking about! She can't control her. Soon the demon will take over and she will lead them to us." Margery pointed her finger at Mary moving away, at a safe distance from her.

"She won't. I will keep a better watch of her."

"How can you when she sees, listens, feels everything you do. We've already risked too much Edward. You must let her loose-"

"And then what? We just run away? I'm tired of running away. We are not rats, we are not like them, moving from place to place, preying on what we can find."

"It's our only way of survival!"

"No mother, it's yours but not mine."

"Edward!"

"You heard me mother. We are not leaving here and she is staying."

"Thank you." Mary said in a low voice only he could hear, taking his hand.

Margery Seymour huffed, telling her son of the grave mistake he was making before leaving the room with Kitty trailing behind. "We will talk later I promise." She said and gave Mary a wink as she left her and her husband to their privacy.

"I am sorry-" Ned silenced her with a kiss.

"It's all taken care of. I've spoken with Thomas."

"Ned…"

"Mary I'm not going to let her come between us. Whatever you did, it was done without your consent and Wanderer, I'm not sure if she's hearing or not but I want her to know, I'm not going to let you go. I abandoned you once, never again." He swore and with that, they walked together to their bedroom where they consumed their passion.

* * *

Thomas was barred from entering Mary's chamber or approaching her. He tried on several occasions to talk to her but Mary would always intervene and it would be her dark grey eyes opposing Wanderer's presence, diminishing the indigo glow around her irises that would greet him.

* * *

She got a surge of ecstasy that shot through her body as she woke up. The events from last week completely erased from her mind. Edward had given her, her daily dose, exorcising the feeling of impurity that Wanderer had left her when she lain with her brother in law.

She sighed, squeezing the bed sheets, arching her back and spreading her legs as another spasm shot through her. Ned had been rough on her. She could still feel the after-effects between her legs. She fantasized of him coming to her again.

She breathed rapidly and let go of herself. Kitty, had taught her how to self-pleasure.  
She was dismayed at first that the younger woman could know so much –and that she could presume she was interested but truth was, she was. Mary did not want to suffer wondering if Ned had come home alive or not, she did not want to be sick with worry but she couldn't help it. She loved the man. He was her other half and as long as he lived she felt complete.  
Kitty helped her friend by starting with the simplest tricks, relieving stress and by making her mind become blank, and then she would introduce the thought of Edward, returning home after another mission and undressing before her, slowly making his way to the bed, lust-filled eyes …

It hadn't taken long for Mary to gasp and feel her soft fingers trailing between her sheath, eager to experience the complete pleasure Edward's lance brought her.

Kitty had taught her other things … she's given her gifts, the Italian deletto, a jeweled artifact modeled after the male organ. Although pleasurable, she joked to her friend, it was not the same as with Ned.

"Having fun?" Mary was surprised to find her friend. As usual she had been hiding behind the door. Sneaky Kitty –she had been called by Mary. At first it scared her but she got used to her friend's behavior very soon. She helped Mary during the worst times and helped her adapt when Ned and his siblings and the Cullens, were still unsure on whether to trust her.

"Very. You should exchange the deletto. There's no need for it, I have my man right here."

Kitty giggled jumping on the bed. She couldn't help the urged she felt when she saw her friend's body. Mary knew of Kitty's orientation but said nothing against it. She knew her friend didn't approve but Kitty was her person and regardless of what she may say to try to convince her, Kitty would not change.

"In your dreams Mary. You were dreaming of him, weren't you? Aha! I knew it! I knew it! You were. Tell me was he good?"

He was more than good –Mary explained, fighting off Wanderer's voice from her head. She was trying to bring back the dark memories from her time with Thomas but she was too happy, being reunited with her friend to let Wanderer torment her.

"You should give him a special surprise. I hear he is going to need it. Someone seemed to have told him a very nasty secret and now rumor is he's going after his little brother, Thomas." Seeing her friend's worried face she placed a hand on her naked shoulder. "Personally, I don't think he would be capable of such a thing. Poor Edward, your husband is too good for his own good. Everyone says he's seen the worst of his brother and he still keeps him by his side. Personally, I am scared of the man, he has these eyes …" she trembled "… they send a shiver down my spine."

"Wanderer seems to think otherwise." Mary said.

**Right Wanderer?**

_**You remember.**_

**How could I forget. I had to wash every corner he touched on my body.**

_**OUR body. And I allowed him to!**_

**You forget this is my body, I can do whatever I wish with it, and I didn't give you my permission to use it.**

Guessing the battle that raged on her friend's mind, Kitty approached her and such approach would have worried her except, Kitty whispered something in her ear that made Mary's lip curved upwards into a malicious smile.

"Shall we?"

**Well, mistress Wanderer you are about to get your wish.**

_**What? No …**_

But it was too late. Mary yielded complete control to Wanderer, safeguarding herself in her solitude of fortress, seeing everything behind the veil of her room inside her mind, as Wanderer was about to experience everything she felt when she laid with Thomas.

* * *

"Wanderer what's wrong?" Mary's face greeted him instead. Her eyes showed the sudden surge of anger she felt when she saw him. "Get out!" She bellowed.

"What is wrong?" He tried, containing his anger and frustration at her the best he could but damn the ruddy wench, his patience was running thin.

"Just get out …" She sobbed, remembering what she felt when Wanderer knocked her friend out. "I couldn't do it. I couldn't …"

"What did you do?" Thomas asked, his voice dangerously low, his eyes menacing.

"I couldn't. I tried … I tried but … I-I … could not." Thomas eyes narrowed some more and finally he became aware of her nakedness and Kitty's half-naked body lying still next to hers. "She's not dead." She said answering the question she knew was on his mind. "I made sure Wanderer did not kill her. She is so angry. She doesn't want to talk, she says it's all my fault. I only wanted to teach her lesson."

And she should. Thought Thomas eying both women with disgust. He pulled Mary to his arms but she pushed him away, equally disgusted. "No! You will just force me just like you did when Wanderer was in control!"

"I never forced anyone." He said, squeezing his fists, his patience thinning.

She sniffed. "You did. I felt every stroke, every … time you thrust in me…" she broke in more sobs, tears spilled down her face as the memories of their coupling resurfaced.

"I did not know you felt that …"

"I did! I felt everything you did and I wanted Wanderer to feel the same."

"So you gave her to your kitten?" Thomas voice rose.

"No! I just wanted her to know my pain. I didn't think she would react-"

"Exactly! You didn't think! You never do! You blame everyone for your misery, including my brother but you never stop to think about your own actions."

"No, that's not true." Mary said, shaking her head, gritting her teeth, unable to look at Thomas Seymour's face. How dare he accuse her of being selfish, nefarious, and evil? She was doing what she had to, to protect herself, She told Thomas.

"You were doing it for yourself. You have no idea what you've caused Wanderer, you hurt her. Now she may never come back and it's all on you! You ruined her!"

"No. I just wanted her to feel what I felt. You don't know how it feels being stuck like …t-this!" She wrung her hands in the air as if protesting to God itself then dropped her hands and signaled to her body. "I can't lie with my husband without feeling cautious, scared because she is watching and she could take my body at any time!"

"And you think she didn't feel as dirty as you did when you lay with my brother?"

"That was different. He is my husband, I am supposed to lie together. We love each other, something you and she will never understand!"

"Why?" He demanded, not aware that he was attracting unwanted attention. He gripped her shoulders and shook her. "Because she's a slug, because she has no soul, because she's a demon, because she's not human? Is that it?!"

"No!"

"Then why? Why, damn it! Tell me why you hate her so much!"

"Because she stole my life! Because she took my life, my body, made me break my vows, betray my husband, commit incest, took my mother and now she's cursed me with your child."

His eyes widened. "What?" He could barely hear herself, let alone his own voice as his eyes fell. No. It can't be…

"You heard me. Wanderer's spawn and yours grows inside me. I can feel her laughing even now as I say this … you've taken everything I love Thomas." She raised her hand and slapped him.

She pushed the covers to her chest to cover her shame. "I've given up everything to see my mother, my husband, the people I love safe and now in just one week, one week since you lay with Wanderer. My life is ruined! You ruined me Thomas. You and Wanderer, both!" She broke into tears and fell on the soft mattress.

Thomas did not have the strength to speak. He was besides himself with worry and happiness. He was going to be a father. A father …

His hopes dashed however when, almost as if she felt his happiness through the mental link he and Wanderer shared, Mary cackled and perked her head up to say to Thomas. "It's not only your child I'm carrying but your brother's, and in my womb before you and God I swear I will not let this thing," this filth –she thought "consume my baby."

Thomas eyes darkened. She saw the fear in them and her smile broadened. Her voice so low but serious that barely he could hear but it sent a shiver down his spine and Wanderer who was screaming words of protest in Mary's heads.  
"I will not have them."

Thomas felt his hands raised, finding their way to her neck. "You can squeeze all you want. I will not have this child and so hear me God-" but she didn't get to finish the sentence as he put his hands down and then within the blink of an eye he raised his left hand and smacked her.

Mary fell from the bed and she could feel Wanderer's whimpers and screams, protesting at Thomas' actions.

**This is your fault!**

_**Mary, are you all right?**_

**No. Just leave me!**

**_Mary I'm so sorry._**

**Just leave me alone!**

Wanderer sobbed, overwhelmed by the emotions Thomas and Mary were transmitting to her.

Thomas felt very ashamed of himself. How different was he from his father? He'd seen his father, old Sir John hit his mother many times and inviting him to brothels where he would teach Thomas how to take on women. His father boasted Thomas was an animal in bed but behind closed doors daddy dearest would come to his bed and smack him twice every day for failing to start a woman.

Ned thought he had it tough. Thomas had it the toughest. He was born in his father's likeness while the rest of his sibling, Ned, Henry and John took after their mother and her Wentworth and Plantagenet ancestors. John wanted to mold Thomas in his image, he saw him as the true Seymour. Thomas didn't want to be like his father but his father would not hear it. Eventually it just became easier for Thomas to accept the man's commands and against his will he would walk with him to brothels and see how he would treat women, demeaning them, humiliating to the point their tears were greater than the wine dripping from his father's lips.

Seeing his brother's wife curled into a ball he wondered what kind of man was he? Had his father succeeded? Had he become like him? The answer was right in front of him. Mary was shouting, begging him to leave her.

He turned to mistress Howard who groaned. Her head ran in circles. She sat up and glancing from Mary to Thomas, the events of earlier came back to her, and she suddenly understood what had went on. She went to Mary's side and shielded her like a protective mother should from Thomas. "Get out." She said firmly, glaring at mister Seymour.

Thomas turned on his heel and left, squeezing his fists, unable to do anything but feel ashamed of himself.

* * *

"Mary, Maria mi amor. Tu sabes que puedes decirme todo. Tu madre está aquí para apoyarte, hija."

"No mother, I do not want your support. I just want to get rid of it."

"Get rid of what?"

She cocked her head, surprised Thomas had not boasted as he boasted of everything else. "You don't know?"

"No my darling that is why I am asking you. What's wrong?"

"Oh mother!" She swung her arms around her mother's neck and her mother passed her hand through her daughter's soft flame-haired wavy hair, singing her the lullaby she sang her when she was a child. "Mama I don't know what to do. I just want to end this … I don't want to have this baby …"

"Shh … Mary, it's all right, if that is how you feel then I will help you. We will do it together."

She sniffed and let go of her mother and stared at her directly. "You mean it?"

"Of course I do." She cupped her daughter's face –which was so much like her own but there was so much of Henry in her too. "I had one too. I never told your father but before I escaped I was with child … he seeded in me … two times." She paused. "I always prayed for a boy Mary but if I must be truthful and I must Mary for the Lord will not let me enter heaven if I'm not; I could not give that monster that took over your father his son. I've seen what they did to the little ones as soon as they were born, it was either going to be inserted, killed, or turned into a slave. I would rather they died than letting them suffer like that."

"Mother … I didn't know …"

"Shh … mi nina. It's all right. It is always hard at the beginning but it passes. You can still have children, when this is all over."

"But when will it end mother? Will I ever have children? Will I be normal?" She looked away, shutting her eyes, feeling shameful to look at her mother's eyes for she would see Wanderer, that dark shining Indigo circle in her pupils. "Look at me. I'm not normal. I'm not human, I'm not a Soul. I have another being living inside me, now I'm bearing her child and my own and … and … I don't know what to do anymore."

"Hush mi amor. We will get through this, all right?" Mary opened her eyes, looking uncertainly at her mother.

Her mother sighed. "Mary … are you sure you want this?" As she saw the confusion in her daughter's eyes.

"Yes." Her mother's gaze turned more serious. "No … I don't know."

"You don't have to make a decision. Take your time and think on it. Talk to your husband."

"No! Edward must know."

"Mary, you must tell him. I'm sure he will understand. Whether you like it or not, he is still your husband and much as I hate to admit it too, you must tell him but I want you to know, that does not mean he has to influence you. The decision will still be yours and only yours."

Mary wanted to shake her heard but her mother was right. She nodded and gave her mother one last embrace before going to her room, however before she stepped outside the door, she felt Wanderer take control.

When she spun around to meet the former Queen's eyes, the Queen looked down at her feet then back up at Wanderer, giving a sad smile.

She knows.

"Mistress Wanderer. It's nice to meet you at last."

* * *

**I felt very important in the end to show the quote of my favorite science channel documentary because as good as the Host is, it's taken after the original idea and work of Robert A. Heinlein's "The Puppet Masters" published in 1954 and for those interested in, it was the basis for the movie Body Snatchers and many of its sequels and adaptations. The only difference between the movies and the original novel is the movies employ pods or alien plants replacing people while Heinlein used the idea of slugs implanted through the neck and attaching themselves through the nervous system to take control of the host or to change and modify behavior. Disney made a movie more based on the novel called the same name during the 90s. Most recently the Host promises to be the new body snatchers and Heinlein's new Puppet Masters.**


	13. Empathy

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything minus the plot and the OCs. Everything else belongs to Stephanie Meyers, Hirst and History. Some ideas used for this chapter were taken from sci-fi favorites and classics such as Herbert and his son with collaboration with Kevin J. Anderson's Dune Saga; Ray Bradbury "Martian Trilogy"; Orson Scott Card's Ender's saga; Arthur C. Clarke' "2001 Space Odyssey"; among others. And last but not least Tudor biographies and academic journals.**

**Thanks to everyone who's reviewed and followed this fic.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Empathy**

**~o~**

"_The yearning belonged to us both; the image of their faces, one man, one child, came from both memories. When I walked faster, I wasn't sure that I was completely in command of the motion."_

_~ "The Host" (Chapter 11: Dehydrated) by Stephanie Meyer_

Wanderer crawled to his bed. He thought he imagined it and he had. When he woke up, she wasn't there anymore. She hadn't spoken to him since he slapped her host.

* * *

"Mistress Wanderer, how good to meet you at last."

"My lady."

"Please, there is no need for pleasantries. Please come and take a seat." Wanderer did so. "How is it you came to my daughter? No, forget that, how did you and my daughter bond?"

"To be honest Madame, I don't know yet. There is not sufficient data-"

Catalina held a hand up to silence her. "Please, there is no need for you to be formal with me. I am no longer Queen of England or Princess Dowager for that matter" she added, the last part bitterly.

"You are still a Princess of Spain. An Infanta." Wanderer said.

"Very good. But to correct you, nay, I am not a Princess any longer. After your armies took England, Spain was the next country to fall." Catalina smiled sadly remembering meeting Charles. There were so many glowing eyes and she was with child. She got lost in the thought her child becoming another host for these creatures that she didn't notice his eyes were glowing as well.

"I see." She said plainly.

"How?"

Wanderer explained everything from the mental connection to Mary to her loved ones.

"Except Lord Beauchamp." Catalina finished for her.

"Correct." Said Wanderer "I can't explain how, but I don't have any connection with him, even now with the child …" She looked uncertain to Catalina and turned around. Catalina gently turned her back.

"It's alright if you don't wish to speak on the matter but Wanderer, my daughter will have to soon with her husband and I know my Mary. She always wanted a child. She's dreamt of it ever since she was a child herself, and I confess I am guilty of fostering such thoughts into her."

"There is no need for you to justify. Your species values females for their breeding, same as mine." She says trying her best not to sound rude. She was not. She was stating a fact and Catalina knew it as she was used to being blunt and preferred when people spoke to her in that way.

"Mayhap I did wrong. I know how much your race values children but this is a decision Mary will have to make on her own and she cannot be influenced. I am sorry, Wanderer."

"I do not intend to influence her Madame. I merely wish for her to understand this is my body too. We are linked and nothing can change that."

"Nothing?" There was a slight boldness in the former Queen's voice as if she was daring her daughter's invader. But Wanderer said nothing, the answer she gave came with a quick shake of her head.

"Once we are inserted nobody can take us out unless we give full consent."

"And you are not ready to leave Mary. Do not speak, I know your answer and I do not fault you." She made a brief pause. She reached for her hand and was surprised how warm it felt. It was sweaty and Catalina could sense at once, the poor Soul was nervous.

It was not everyday my faithful reader that you get to meet your host's mother who also happens to be a former Queen, Princess, Princess Dowager, two times wife of Princes of Wales and on top of it all, a fierce warrior. Naturally, she was scared.

"I see you've caught Seymour's eyes, the youngest Seymour lad. You love him." It was not a question.

She shrugged. She was not sure if that constituted on love. She wasn't quite sure what she even felt for Tom or what he felt for her for that matter. Their relation was purely physical, she told her. "There is nothing more between us but physical need." She explained. The faintness of her voice though, said otherwise.

"You love him. Just as Mary loves his older brother, you love by contrast his younger one. He is very handsome. Every woman in England fantasized about him. They all claimed you weren't a woman until you visited his bed."

Wanderer flinched.

"Do I displease you Wanderer?"

"No Madame, I guess it is right you warn me but there is no need for it. I am my own mistress and my heart and feelings are my own."

"My dear child that's what I said when my mother asked me if I loved Prince Arthur. I worked so hard to deny my feelings for him but I did love him."

**No, no! Mother, what are you saying? Wanderer what is she saying? She's lying. Wanderer ask her why she's lying!**

_**Be quiet! **_

Catalina noticed her expression hardened. "My daughter giving you troubles? She doesn't' believe you. I've held on to the lies for so long that I started to believe them but the truth is…"

**No! Wanderer stop her!**

_**Be quiet Mary!**_

"… I was not a virgin when I came to my husband's bed, Henry's I mean of course. I fell madly in love with him."

**No!** But her distress went unnoticed by both Wanderer and Catalina.

"Arthur was everything a Prince ought to be. Handsome, not courageous. Heavens no! But he was chivalrous and callous. Henry's complete opposite."

"He sounds charming alright."

"Aye, he was." Catalina said with a big smile. "I remember the first night when he took me. He would not let me go until one day … he was gone."

"I am sorry."

"Do not be. It was God's will and Arthur's. At least that's what I told myself. In reality it was all Arthur's plan. He asked me to lie because he knew that if I married Henry, only I could control him."

"How naïve of him."

"It was." Catalina agreed. "I would have preferred to marry some Archduke or minor ruler in Austria, or any of the Holy Roman dominions. My mother said any Hapsburg dominion. She promised me that pope Julius could grant me a dispensation. I did not doubt he would, my parents were the wealthiest monarchs; he would have listened to them but … my promise to Arthur."

"But you and my Overlord's host seemed so in love."

"Mary only has the best opinion of her father and naturally she remembers nothing but a happy childhood but the truth is very different from what you see in my daughter's memory. Her father and I were never on good terms. I believed to be in love with him. When he rode his white horse, literally, to rescue me I was enchanted. I called him Arthur on our first night. He never noticed. He had been so … obsessed with me since I married his brother. I believed he could be my renaissance, my rebirth. But I was wrong. My Sir Loyal Heart was no more an illusion than Mary's memories of our time together."

**Mother what are you saying?**

Almost as if she could read Mary's thoughts, she answered –"I never loved Henry. I fell in love with Arthur. My heart has always belonged to him. I believed I could love Henry and I projected Arthur's image on him and that was my fault. I brought this evil upon us, I brought this evil on you and my daughter."

"No Catalina, you did not. My Overlord's host's actions and my Overlord's were their own. If he would have wed someone else and she failed to bring him a son, he would have acted the same way. You can't change human nature."

"There is much wisdom in your words Wanderer as kindness. I almost forget what you are."

Wanderer hid her disappointment. Everything had been going on so well …

**She will never see you as one of her own.** Mary's thinking turned more sulfurous as she thought about what her mother said.

**_She was being honest. You shouldn't be too hard on her_.**

**She lied!**

_**So? Don't tell me you never had to lie to get something?**_

**No, of course not! I never lied.**

_**Somehow I find that difficult to believe.**_

**Believe all you want. I have never lied!**

**_You're being childish._**

Mary refused to give a retort so Wanderer continued to direct her attention to her mother instead.  
"Did you ever regret it?"

"Of course I did. Every day and every day I did penance for it but … God has a funny way of exacting payment from his subjects."

"Your children."

"I think of them every day. Even those who were not given the chance to breathe. They are with me even when they are not."

"It's very hard for me to understand but I thank you for explaining. Is that how Mary will feel if she gives up this baby?"

**I don't want your baby inside of me!**

"Perhaps. What is your opinion on the subject matter? Do you agree Wanderer to give up on this baby?"

"It would be most wise."

"That's not you speaking, that's your logic. What does your heart say?" She clutched her hand tighter.

Wanderer wrenched her hand free. She was unfamiliar with the concept of faith.

"Surely your desire for this baby is as strong as my Mary's?"

"Your daughter doesn't wish to carry our offspring."

"That's what Mary wishes everyone to believe but if you would put your differences aside, you'd see how much she wants this child."

"She doesn't want this one. She's afraid it'll be born different like mine. What?" Wanderer tilted her head slightly to her left, her brow furrowing in confusion as she saw the Princess Dowager's smile.

"You are referring to your child as yours, that's a step forward."

"I am not referring to anyone." She said a bit too quick, terrified she had raised her voice to someone of authority. "Excuse me. I don't know what got into me."

"There is nothing to forgive. You want this child just as Mary wants her but I need to know and I know Mary wants to know too. How different will these children be from the rest of the Soul children? I can see these children are far from normal already, including my daughter's."

* * *

At being told the truth Ned got himself drunk and when Mary visited him again he raised a glass to her and shouted: "To the future generations! May they live in peace and carry on with humanity's good work!" then threw it across the room and broke into crazy laughter.

"To the future!" he shouted, laughing harder as the stunned figure of his wife tried to calm him down.

"Ned please, this isn't you." She said but he pushed her away roughly, causing her to fall. Instinctively her hands went to her stomach, protecting the child –no! children- inside.

"Perhaps this is me Mary! Perhaps this is me all along. The cold, calculate, heartless bastard!"

"Stop!"

"You escape from their clutches, come here and run into my arms like a bitch in heat then go back to them and become one of them. And now you carry Thomas' bastard."

"No! I don't, I also carry your child. Ned, we don't have to live with this burden, I can get rid of it and-"

He raised his eyes at her and she took a step back as he violently shook her. "What? Are you insane? You want to kill my brother's child?"

Mary flinched at the sound of his voice. "I thought you did not want it."

"I don't but I'm not going to kill my brother's child and much less mine if that other offspring is indeed mine."

"It is!" Mary said freeing herself. She fell to her knees. "I swear on the Holy Mother it is also your baby I'm carrying."

"Why didn't you tell me then?"

"And what would I say? Hello Ned, I'm carrying Wanderer and your brother's love child but don't worry sweetheart I also carry your child."

"You know what I mean! You were ready to kill our child and you were not going to tell me. Does Thomas even know?"

Her silence was answer enough.

"God damn you Mary! If I can't even trust my wife-"

"It's not my fault. It's yours for leaving me in that dreadful place. I waited for you to rescue me but you never came. I had to live with Wanderer and with the rest of her kind. I didn't like it."

"They said you were gone. You were taken, transformed into one of them."

"Is that what your mother said about me?"

"This isn't about what my mother said. Everyone said you were gone and I could not risk any more of my men for you, Thomas believed-"

"Thomas?!" Mary growled, her eyes despite their intense glow, darkened. "So you were too coward to stand up for your wife to your mother but Thomas, a man you always accused of being so, could?"

"It wasn't like that. Thomas is brash, he's always been and he believed he could lead a full army and beat the Souls once and for all. You know how he is. I couldn't let our positions be jeopardized."

Mary sat in a chair nearby. The truth was too hard to swallow. "You would rather listen to your mother than save your wife?"

Wanderer was right.

"I am sorry. I never asked to be their leader, if I could I would have them chose someone else but no one else is worthy and they are all depending on me. We are one of the few human settlements left. Their safety, their livelihoods, it's all on me."

But Mary could not hear it. He had been willing to let her go …

Her hands dropped to her stomach again. She pondered on Wanderer's conversation with her mother.

Ned approached her and grabbed her hand. "This is silly," he muttered, but he rolled the anger from his voice when she looked up at him and her glow reminded him that she had another person _still _living inside of her.

"You don't plan on telling him are you? What you wanted to do with the babies … or have you already told him?"

"Yes." She saw Ned cast his eyes down. "Wanderer begged me not to but I told him that I would not have his mongrel pup growing inside me, sucking the life out of our child. I will not have it."

"The child is innocent. Regardless of its parentage-"

"It's a she. Wanderer has established a connection with the creature, she knows it's a she."

"Does she know what ours is?"

Mary nodded. "A boy."

Ned could not help his smile. A boy. A son. His true firstborn son. The sons he had with Catherine, he always doubted they were his then Anne, all the stillborns, all the useless girls. He doubted their parentage as well but ended up acknowledging them because they were girls and girls could cause no trouble to the succession. With Mary now it was different. He had a son, a son he could inherit his lands to once this was over. (If it was over) His mind told him.

Without asking, he brought his other hand to her abdomen. Immediately he could feel the tiny lives inside of her, one of them belonging to him. It was as if he could almost hear him, hear the sound of his laughter, his voice, see his eyes, smell the fresh baby scent.

Mary knew at once what vision he was experiencing and shoved him. She was envious of the connection he and Wanderer and Thomas shared with their children. She tried to dream of her child but all she got was empty dreams, senseless visions that made her revisit her old memories of her childhood before colonization.

"She is tyring to convince you. This was her plan all along. No wonder she and my mother got along so fine. They wanted me to tell you so you would stop me from getting rid of them."

His face suddenly hardened. His face turned dark and dangerous, but Mary did not see it, she only saw her own grief as usual.

"Grieve all you want, I am not going to have you kill our children." Ned said through gritted teeth.

"They are abominations." She said and told him what Wanderer told her mother. Yet his expression remained unchanged.

"Whatever influence our son may be on, he will still be our son and he will make his own choices independent of what Wanderer's child or his sibling wishes him to say or do."

Mary looked unsure. He grabbed both her hands. She didn't push him away this time. "Do not do this. I am pleading with you not as a father or your leader but as your husband. I know you want this child too, otherwise you would have done it already."

Mary began sobbing. He gently brought her down and kissed her. "I don't know if I can do it. We are in a war. None of us may survive and even if we do what is the point? Our child could be taken and transformed into one of those mindless creatures …" Mary broke into tears. "My heart would not bear it."

"And Wanderer?" It seemed so strange of Ned to be saying this and even stranger for Wanderer to hearing him of all people defending her. "Does she not have a right to decide on her child's life?"

Mary froze. Wanderer could feel their muscles tense. Her lips trembled, her eyes turned red with unshed tears. "What about my body? This was my body! God gave me this body before they took it and planted her inside me. I don't want her, I don't want her baby."

"But you do want ours!"

"Yes!" She finally admitted. "With all my heart I do but not if it means delivering her child! I hate it. I hate it when I go to sleep and I can hear her talking to her and I hate it when her child speaks to our son and now I hate you because you can speak to him too!"

He didn't know if it was her hormones or her own frustration as a mother that everyone else could feel her child except her. He caressed her stomach and closed his eyes. He could feel that tiny life, that tiny pre-born life, sending waves of energy to him.

He wondered why Mary couldn't feel it. Her hand had also moved to her stomach but she said she felt nothing but emptiness.

"Do not be jealous. You may not feel him yet but you will as he grows. It will be your body he kicks, it will be your body he receives warmth and food from and you will have something else -far more precious than any mental link she shares with your children." Ned said soothingly. Mary looked up to him and locked eyes with him in question. "It's your body, you are right, God gave you this body and only He can take it away. It will be your milk the children taste, it will be your lips they will receive their kisses from, it will be your words, your commands they will respond to."

Her sobs ceased, her expression turned cheerful. There was still sadness to behold in her eyes but none of the despair she'd felt before. "Thank you."

* * *

"Thomas what are you doing here?"

"Wanderer hasn't seen me-"

"Well good, maybe the wench will learn who is in control."

"Do not play coy with me Edward. I know what she told you and I am not going to stand while you and that bitch take our child away."

"Careful Thomas, you may be my brother but Mary is my wife and any insult to her is an insult to me."

"Good then, because I wasted everything for her and now when I finally have the woman of my dreams, you take my happiness away."

"Your happiness? Wanderer is nothing but a slug. You've seen their true faces, she doesn't love you anymore than you love her. You love the challenge, you love the hunt just as his late Majesty, once you've had them, you don't care about them anymore."

"Wanderer is different."

"How so? Because she's carrying your pup, because she said I love you?" Ned snorted and laughed at his brother's naivety. "Do not be a fool. They don't feel anything."

"She does." Thomas insisted.

"She doesn't!" Ned snarled. "For her you are just another potential host for her species to occupy. At the first instance she will betray you."

He turned on his heel and left Thomas in his study to ponder on his words. Did Wanderer really love him? Was his brother right? He thought to their first night together and how she screamed his name and whispered in his ear she loved him. Had that all been a lie?


	14. Consciousness

**Consciousness**

**~o~**

_"We touched, I felt the rush,_  
_we clutched, it isn't much but it's enough_  
_to make me wonder what's in store for us._  
_It's lust, it's torturous._  
_You must be a sorceress because you just did the impossible_  
_gained my trust. Don't play games, it'll be dangerous because if you fuck me over_  
_Because if I get burnt I am gonna show you what it's like to hurt, cause I've been treated like dirt._  
_Your love is evil."_

_~ "Space Bound" by Eminem_

"It's still one of them." Margery told her son. She was worried for Thomas.

"It's still her body and in any case it's not her body I'm in love with."

"Really?" Asked Lady Margery skeptically with a devious smile. "You've always romped with ever woman you've been with. I would not be surprised if it was triples she was carrying. Ha!" She gave an outrageous laugh and wrung her hands in the air.

"Say what you please, I do love her." Thomas said and that was the end of the discussion. He left.

* * *

"Your Majesty." Jane turned, her second in command, recently promoted above the late Margaret of Scotland. Her host had been as useless as her late Soul.

"We found them."

This brought a smile on Jane's lips.

* * *

"They are coming." Ned warned. He gave the order to flee. Everyone was tired of hiding, fleeing. Many refused to leave their home, others couldn't because of their sick. Of those Ned could do nothing.

He took Mary's hand and pushed her into the thopter. "They won't be able to reach us once we reach the coasts."

"On the contrary." Catalina argued. We will be most vulnerable there. Ned shook his head. He knew the territory better than the palm of his hand which was more than what could be said for a Queen who only knew the North and the important cities in the South. She was a strategist, she proved herself to England and her King in Flodden through that bloody field, but as a leader she was still a woman and incapable of leading. "They will see us and we will be an easy target. It's better we try our luck in Scotland. They will not expect us there, we will be safer there."

"We will be most vulnerable there." Edward countered.

"We won't. I know the border cities as the palm of my hand," she said countering him back with the same argument that was running in his head. "we will be fine and besides, the Duke of Cleves has allies there. The rebels will give us safe-conduct, we can hide for as long as we need to then make a run for it on the coasts and flee to Flanders, from there we can easily reach Cleves."

"How do you plan to do that Madame? Flanders is heavily guarded and Cleves is a warring state. You would be condemning us to death."

"'Tis not a sentence Lord Beauchamp" she answered using his old title "we would be amongst our kind and better to be surrounded by them than hiding like rats, waiting to be taken at any moment."

"Hold your tongue Your Majesty. I respect you coming here and I sympathize with your grief over the loss of your loved ones," she avoided mentioning her daughter whom Lady Margery considered lost as well, "but you cannot tell my son what to do. Ned is the leader of this company and in any case it is mistress Cullen in the absence of her brothers who assumes commands. The decision is my son's."

Catalina turned to the youngest Cullen. Almost at once, everyone turned as well.

"Mistress Cullen I will not ask you to decide on something that can jeopardize all the group but surely you know as well as I do that if we flee to the coasts thopters and ships will be waiting for us. We will all be taken. I'm not saying Lady Margery that we will all make it safe and sound and that we will escape capture or make it out alive, but we must try. For the sake of our group and the sake of your youngest son. The Seeker is coming for us and she brings with her a fierce group, I know her, I've dealt with her personally. She will not stop until she gets her hands on the boy."

Lady Margery looked lost. She put her arms around her youngest son, barely eleven.

"Mother please I'm fine. Nothing will happen." He assured her but Margery wasn't sure. Catalina had hit a chord and she knew it. She turned to her oldest son and the source of her immense pride, Ned. "We must do as the Queen says." She said. "We must leave this place and head for the border. It's our only way."

Ned nodded solemnly, not at all convinced this would work. As far as he knew the Princess Dowager was a broken person –a broken woman at that, she had led an army of thousands years ago against James IV Scottish armies. But since then the game had change and she was out of her league now. She did not know of the new rules, the terrain changes and the buildings the Souls had erected to protect the border Towns from any human intruder.

Yet they ended up following her. The only Cullen left in the group agreed with her as well and said they should head North. Logic told him she was right and this angered him more because he didn't like being told what to do, especially by a foreigner. Even if that foreigner was his mother in law.

* * *

They reached the border city, renamed Carr after the late Head Seeker's second in command (they'd learned through Wolsey who helped them reach the city) had changed her name from Margaret Tudor to Margaret Carr. The late King's sister was no doubt mourned and remembered for her cruelty, and hailed as a hero by the Soul population.

"We are not meant to be cruel." Wanderer said taking control.

"I'm sure that's not what the Queen of Scots thought when they were inserting that slug in her head."

Wanderer glared at her. She'd gotten used to the derogative names they used for her species but the way in which he said it, always ended up affecting her.

"May I speak with my wife, please?"

"She's all yours." She said, still glaring; she could not stand a minute longer in his presence. She gave control to Mary.

"You didn't have to be so cruel with her. You could just hit her."

"Then I'd be hitting you sweetheart and," he lowered his voice "I wouldn't want to bring harm to our little bairn."

"Not in Scotland yet and you already fashion yourself one."

He chuckled. "I can't help it. I am excited, partly terrified and partly worried something might happen to the two people I care the most for."

"If your son is as flirtatious as his father, you might have a strong contender for my affections my lord."

"Ah, I'm already prepared for that sweetheart." He said pecking her lips.

"How so?"

"No one steals my true heart's love from me. No one." He said kissing her again with full swing, overtaken by passion. They did not see Thomas glaring behind at them nor voicing his thoughts to Wanderer who tried to appease him but to no avail.

They stopped and camped at the nearest site, a deserted cabin, big enough for everyone in the group. Ned and Mary resumed their moment. He devoured his mouth. "So you better start telling that bairn of yours to stop sending nightmares to his father. You are mine and only mine and tonight I'll have you all for my own."

"You mean all three of us. Remember the little wretches are watching." Including mine, Wanderer sent but it went unheard by Mary who was consumed by the passion she shared with Ned.

He tore her simple robes and then did away with his own clothes. He began kissing her lips then moved to her neck, her nipples, suckling on her soft breast making her moan in the process until he reached her sheath and it was here they both received the highest pleasure.

* * *

Exhausted from their lovemaking, she rolled from him and put one hand on her forehead. Spasms still shot through her body and she could still feel the sticky, milky substance between her legs.

"Mmm…" she purred getting closer to him, in his ear.

He kissed her. He tickled her with his moustache, she could not help but giggle. "What is it?" Ned asked alarmed as their lips parted, hearing her gasp.

She withdrew her hand from her mouth and descended it down to her stomach. "What?"

"I_ felt_ him."She said, her eyes gleaming with unshed tears. "Feel!" She took his hand put it on top of her other one. Together they felt the baby move and kick but a whether it was Thomas and Wanderer's child they were feeling or their own they didn't know but it didn't matter.

There was life growing inside of her, she could feel it. For the first time she could feel it moving inside of her and did not need Wanderer or her dreams to tell her this was her child, her child and Ned's. For the first time the thought of bearing a child, Ned's child, brought a smile to her lips and she forgot all about the other one she was being forced to carry.

* * *

Thomas opened another bottle of rum. "Damn it!" He swore under his breath as he cut himself with a piece of broken glass. He licked the rum off the floor. He could not stop his dreams or his headaches. A day away from Wanderer was torture enough. He needed her, her smell, her scent, her touch. He didn't care what Ned told him, she loved him and as long as they were together nothing else mattered. Thomas needed her.

He closed his eyes and saw her standing before him, transfiguring into the many forms she'd been in prior to taking Mary.

"I thought if you saw me, through my many faces, you'd understand what you are up against."

"I already know and I don't care." He said taking her face and kissing her lips with more roughness and intensity than when his brother had taken her host's lips. Right now it was her form she possessed and he could feel the corner of her host's lips moving, their tongues doing battle against one another.

He pushed her to the ground, unlaced his breeches, lifted her skirts and pushed against her. She screamed his name, begged him for more and just as they were about to reach their peak, something interrupted him.

Emerging from the shadows was a solemn figure, a girl. She could have been no more than two yet her eyes held a wisdom that reached far beyond her years and her adult peers'.

She eyed the couple curiously and tilted her head. Thomas' eyes widened with recognition. "Is she?" He asked withdrawing from Wanderer.

Before Wanderer could respond, the raven haired, bright blue (blue within blue, holding a bright glow like her mother) eyed, girl answered for her. "Mama … I am scared."

* * *

"How longer Sir Francis?" Jane asked the dark haired rogue.

Sir Francis showed his chagrin. "I don't understand why you want to capture this brat. There are many other things we could be spending valuable time on." He said dismissing the other Seekers and unbuttoning her white coat.

"Stop this." She shoved him. "We don't have time for this. We must find Jane's brother, you know what happens if we don't."

"You mean to you." Francis pointed out. "I will get to be Head Seeker and named Protector for your our Overlord host's son."

"In your wildest dreams Sir Francis, the positions belongs to Sir Henry Seymour and in any case it is our Overlord and his host's fickle mind who will decide who will be Protector."

"You think he's under the late King's influence."

"I don't just think, I am sure of it." She said, taking his hand and bringing it back to her coat. He resumed his earlier activity and pushed her naked body on the metal desk.

* * *

"Why are you frightened?"

"Who is he?" She pointed to the man kneeling behind them, his eyes wide, pleading her to come. She averted her gaze from him. She didn't trust him.

"What are you doing here? Little one, why are you frightened?" Wanderer asked, not knowing what else to call her.

"Baby not talking to me."

"Who is not talking to you? Your brother?" She nodded. "Why is he not talking to you?" She shrugged.  
Wanderer sighed. "Why don't you return to your fortress, I will visit you later." Wanderer promised and she disappeared.

"Was that …" Wanderer nodded.

His voice rose. "Why didn't you tell her who I was?" She didn't answer. Wanderer shrugged and turned her naked back. He turned her violently. "Why?!"

"I don't know. My race is not supposed to … to give birth to her kind."

"What do you mean her kind? What did you do?" He shook her violently. "What did you to do to our daughter?"

"Nothing."

"Do not give me that cock and bull excuse, I am not a fool, you can't manipulate me like your host does to Edward. Tell me what you did to our child?! Is that why they are chasing us?"

Thomas gripped harder, digging his nails into her skin. Even though it was merely an illusion, the pain felt too real and he could feel blood escaping from her wounds.

"I don't know." She finally said. "The Seeker is after your younger brother, John Seymour, beyond that I don't know. She didn't tell me much, only that she must find him."

"Why?"

"I don't know!"

"Yes, you do!" Thomas barked. "Tell me!"

Wanderer broke into tears. He hurt her, she could feel herself shaking. "I told you I don't know. You must trust me!"

"How can I? I just found out my daughter, walking, speaking like an adult despite the obvious fact she's not yet born and her mother kept the truth hidden from me! She doesn't even know who I am."

"It's better this way. We could be found at any moment and if the Head Seeker were to find out about our child, she'd be studied, probed, tested, exhibited like an animal in a royal menagerie. I thought it best that you didn't know, at least then the pain would not be as much."

Thomas let her go, growling in frustration.

"I am sorry."

"You are not." Thomas said crisply. He remembered Ned's words, they echoed in his head. _They don't feel anything._

He's right. He thought. For her, she was nothing but another human, a potential host for her species.

He needed to find out what she had done to their daughter. He asked her again, this time in a deadlier and more serious voice.

Wanderer pursed his lips, she knew that look and what emotion it signified and he felt just as angry but she knew she couldn't keep the truth hidden from him any longer.

"I imprinted on our child, I gave her my memories, not just my memories but my previous hosts' memories, including Mary's and I …"

"What?" Thomas' tone was cold, his eyes were shooting daggers.

"I used my full consciousness last time we coupled."

"Were you pregnant then?" He interrupted, his voice cutting as before.

She nodded. "Yes, I was. I …my body, my original body releases a chemical, it's something we do every time there we engage in sexual interaction while using our hosts. With my previous hosts, the sexual drive was not as high so I never had any partners, but with you, I felt a strong need, I could not help myself so my body released this chemical into Mary's blood and it affected both fetuses, but ours more."

"What exactly did it do?" Asked Thomas; his expression transfixed to show his worry yet his tone was still menacing. Wanderer flinched at the sound of it.

"The chemical activates the fetus psychic awareness and produces a babble of sound and sensory imagery which the unborn is unable to comprehend or assimilate. When it is born, the baby supposedly sees according to our medical records of Soul violations, with adult comprehension because of the active, intelligent, adult memories it now carries at a conscious level. The baby therefore appears to the untrained eye as gifted and extremely precocious but to the knowledgeable he or she will be regarded as an Abomination."

"Abomination?"

"Yes. My species cannot have pre-born children. They're too dangerous. The memories and personalities of previous hosts could take over the pre-born and as a result they become hybrids, half-mongrels repulsed by both of their species just as Mary said, and -"

"A Mistake." Thomas finished. Wanderer nodded, looking down on her feet, shame-faced. "I want you out of here."

"Thomas-"

"I said get out."

"Thomas, our child-"

"You ruined our child and possibly my nephew too. I don't want to see your face again. Get out!"

Wanderer's body trembled but not because Thomas had hurt her physically this time. The injury was beyond anything physical. She felt tears clouding her eyes. She chocked back a sob and nodded. Without saying goodbye she departed from his mind and severed their mental link.

* * *

"We've just arrived Your Majesty." Said her sister, Elizabeth Seymour, her voice neutral as her expression.

"Prepare to land, take the first platoon with you. Remember what we came for. I don't care for the rest, you can shoot them if they resist but I want the boy alive." She emphasized on the word 'alive'.

Elizabeth nodded and did the Head Seeker's bidding.

"Looks like everything is going according to plan, your plan, sweetheart." Francis said rising from bed and picking up his clothes. He put on his eye patch.

"Healer Davidson has offered to take care of that problem. Why do you insist on keeping your deformity?"

"Deformity? I hardly think of it as a deformity. It makes me look dashing, besides," he said smiling to himself as he stared in the mirrored. "it brought me to you."

She dressed and came from behind, surrounding his waist. "I did not seek your company for your sexual appeal but your skills in enforcing my husband's will and mine."

"You are too ambitious for your own good." He said shaking his head as she responded with the same haughty tones as before. "One of these days His Majesty will tire of you just as his host tired of all his mistresses."

"I am not like the others. I like His Majesty am also an ancient Soul and before he cancels me out, I will cancel him out." She said darkly. He turned and kissed her passionately, ravaging her mouth until her lips were swollen and dry.

"I will find your host's brother then afterwards I will have my reward for my good services, one entire week just you and me."

"That is if you do find my brother and kill that human."

"I will. I never failed you, have I?" He said daringly with the roguish smile of his.


	15. Overcome

**Overcome**

**~o~**

"_I sense there's something in the wind  
That feels like tragedy's at hand  
And though I'd like to stand by him  
Can't shake this feeling that I have  
The worst is just around the bend."_

_~ "Sally's Song" by Evanescence _

"I still think it's too dangerous to remain here." Catalina said. Margery concurred but she defended her son. "We must remain strong. My son knows what's best for all of us."

"I do not question his competence but it's dangerous for us to remain here."

"You are the one who came up with this plan."

"I meant that we reach the coast of Northern isle not that we should stay. Another day here and we risked capture."

"This is all your daughter's fault."

"Excuse me?"

"Your daughter brought this disaster on our heads. I did not agree any more than you did to marry her but my son loved your daughter."

"You speak of her as she is already dead."

"She might as well be. I don't know how you can still think of your daughter as alive with one of those things inside her."

"Those things may just prove our race's salvation." She told her what Wanderer had told her.

"You are out of your mind Catalina, those things are a menace to us all and now she carries two more. How do you know they will not turn mad like the rest of them?"

Catalina knit her eyebrows, cocking her head in question. "You know about the other cases?"

"I … suspected." Started Margery slowly, avoiding the hard-cold gaze of the former Queen's pale blue eyes. "Two years ago there was a survivor that came here, you might have known her mother, she was in your service. Catherine Parr."

"I remember a Maud Green, she was married to Sir Thomas Parr, if I'm not mistaken."

"Yes, they had two daughters, Anne and Catherine."

"And a son." Catalina added. She was particularly fond of the woman's mother. Maud had been a loyal lady in waiting, as loyal as they came. In many ways she had reminded her of her old friend, Maria de Salinas and her loyal English lady –before she was inserted –Lady Elizabeth. Renamed Perkins after she was inserted with a Soul that was wretched as she had ever been kind.

"Ah, William. Very bright boy, devoted to the new faith and Edward's leadership." Margery said, speaking very fondly of the man that had taken her youngest daughter's heart before they were taken by those beasts. "The oldest of them came to us, claiming she had valuable information. Your daughter doesn't remember her, she and Edward moved to one of the outposts in Calais –before it was taken over." She added rather hastily, her tone suggested she was ashamed over the failure to keep that stronghold.

"You were at Cleves at the time but you must remember that there was an English connection between us and your friend's dukedom."

"Yes I do. We never knew who our contact was."

"Catherine Parr. Very wily girl. I didn't trust her." Margery said.

Catalina was not surprised. She wondered if there was anyone of their sex she ever trusted. But she guessed if she had sons she would be just as jealous to have someone else usurp her place in their affections.

"Thomas was still stricken over Mary's ignorance of his feelings for him. Catherine was everything your daughter wasn't. She was beautiful as her but she was soft-spoken and not as brash and what was more, she was blond. My son always had a thing for blonds despite he would never admit to it. I think he sees some of his mother's courage in those wenches. Anyway," she said waving her hand dismissively at the last sentence. "my son was quite taken with her but as it turned out, she was far more stubborn than Princess Mary and everywhere she went she carried that disease of the new religion."

"You hate the new faith Lady Margery? I thought it was too late to be putting priorities over our survival."

"Nay, Your Majesty, I don't hate the new religion but I hate hating-mongrels and fanatics, and the same goes for our faith, who think they are better than anyone else because of their charity or their education. Bah! My father always said you can teach a parrot how to speak and say better words, that does not make the animal smarter or more empathetic. I hated the girl's guts and she turned my Thomas against me. She accused me of being close minded and even said I was ignorant. Of course she was well-read and God curse her in her grave! She was so beautiful, Thomas naturally sided with her in every argument." She sighed. "It's over now. The wench was taken and the creature dissected like an animal and studied and probed as I'm sure your daughter's will be once they get their hands on her. They always do. They will never stop until we are all like them." She made a disgusting sound.

"She was pregnant?" Catalina asked then her expression turned indignant as Lady Margery uttered her last sentence. "May I remind you Lady Margery, that this is my daughter you are speaking of."

"Yes, the Princess Mary but she's not your daughter any longer. She has that thing inside her and now she carries those monstrous beings. Mistress Parr was pregnant, she was not as innocent as everyone would love to believe. It was my Thomas' of course but at the time he coupled with her, she had already been inserted, he was too blinded by her beauty to notice or even care." She snorted. "She was a drone and she played Thomas very good but Edward said she did fall for my Thomas. She definitely disregarded the rules as this … Wanderer." She said the name rolling from her tongue like it was something sacrilegious, forbidden. "As soon as they got her however they dissected it and they sent a video to Thomas for him to watch. Since then he's become ever the mischievous player, pretending not to care but alas my poor son is not as a hard thinker like his older brother; he's always been in love with your daughter, naturally she comes and as a new person, he thinks voila he's been given a new chance! To be youthful again, careless and reckless."

"With all due respect Lady Margery but I think your underestimate Thomas. Your son may not be astute or wily as a fox and possess the wisdom of an owl like your oldest son, Edward, but he has other skills, courage and conviction. He is a fighter and what's more, he cares for our foreign guest."

"To you perhaps, but for me I see our guest as she is, an intruder and imprisonment has blinded you, you don't see the light as I do. My Thomas has always been blinded by lust and myths of love and chivalry. He fashions himself a chivalrous knight but the truth is, he is no different than his father. They both just love to romp on any girl, any innocent and deserving girl alike. He sees no difference, for him it's the hunt that's matters. That's what he's always been about. Believe me Your Majesty, he will lose interest in this Wanderer once she grows fat with child."

Catalina shook her head sadly at Lady Margery. How the years had made her bitter. "You are cruel, my lady."

"And you are naïve." She returned. "It's the only way to be in this world. I still have three sons to think about including my grandchildren."

"I thought you didn't care what happened to Wanderer." Or my daughter –Catalina thought- for that matter.

"They are still my grandchildren, no matter what their mothers are, their security is of the utmost priority. I hope you can understand that."

Catalina nodded. At least here they had something in common.

The two women a truce for each others' sake and continued to keep watch despite the two metal guards told them there was no need for. They had the situation completely under their control. But they had to be sure.

* * *

Wanderer never lived on a planet where such atrocities could happen, even before Souls came. She'd seen from Mary's memories when she was little, four at least, and she had burned herself when she and her friend Susan had gone to the kitchens to hide from her half-sibling Henry Fitzroy. It had been an accident, though. Quickly treated with ice, salves, primitive medicine. No one had done it on purpose, continued on from the first sickening pain, the feeling was still there, drawing Wanderer further and further to the recesses of their mind …

This place was truly the most accursed placed she had lived on and yet the highest of all worlds. What a paradox our little Wanderer faced. Perhaps the Seeker was right. One hand fell to her belly. Mary was asleep and she quickly took advantage, regaining control of their body.

Edward opened his eyes and sighed, knowing what the glowing meant. "Get out."

"I have nowhere else to go."

"Why don't you go to Thomas or better yet to the soldiers' barracks? I'm sure you will love spreading your legs for any of them."

"You don't really mean it." Wanderer said her voice tense, avoiding his gaze, he was stark naked. So was she but her rage blinded her to this. She turned when he was finally dressed, clutching the sheets closer to her body.

"Of course I do. Since you came, you've caused nothing but pain to everyone around us. Why don't you do us a favor and skip this body just as your race does with others."

"I can't. I am with child. I can't take a risk while we are in this state and Thomas-"

"I know all about you and Thomas' child and what bond you've formed with the brat. It shan't work. Once that thing is born you'll be gone from my wife's body and we will return you to the Seeker, to occupy a new body, I'm sure you will be happy to be in a new host that doesn't cause you in any trouble."

"I don't want a new host." This is my body, my home. She was not going to abandon it.

"Too bad." Edward answered coldly and threw her clothes at her. "Because I will make you." Then he shove her out of the room.

* * *

Perhaps this world is meant to be cruel. Perhaps –my dullest reader, our wandering Soul thought, Mary had been right all along as the Seeker. You had to be cruel to survive, yet how could a world filled with such beauty, a paradise amongst humans and Souls alike, be filled with such contradictions such as cruelty? Perhaps without the lows, the highs could not be reached. If so, then, were the Souls the exceptions to that rule? Could they have the light without the darkness of this world?

**I … felt something when he cast you out.** Mary interrupted. The words came slowly, one by one, as if she didn't want to think them.

**_I felt something, too._** It was amazing how natural it was to use sarcasm now, after spending so much time with Mary.**_ He's got quite a temper, doesn't he?_**

**That's not what I meant and who. I meant … **She hesitated for a long moment, and then the rest of the words came in a rush. **I thought it was all about lust –you and Thomas. I thought you were with him because of need…**

**_Like Philip. _Wanderer finished for her.**

**Yes.** The chagrin in her tone was not because she was upset, but because she did not like being interrupted. But …

Wanderer waited.

It came in a rush once more. You're in love with him. **It feels different from the way I feel about my husband. I hadn't realized that until he was there with us, until he defended you after Kitty, after I felt your disappointment when he broke your mental connection.**

**_He hasn't broken our mental connection. It still exists._ **But Wanderer knew better. She was fooling herself and Mary knew it.

**I am sorry.** Whether it was genuine or not, Wanderer didn't bother to find out. She was happy she didn't have account her actions to anyone, least of all a human. "All humans are the same."

She didn't realize she'd said this aloud until she heard a strong male voice from behind.

"Not all of them."

"Thomas."

"Wanderer I-"

"No, I get what you were saying and you're right. It's my fault. I didn't introduce our daughter to you and you're her sire, it's natural you are angry with me."

"Wanderer-"

"When she's born, you and she can have all the time to yourselves, I will leave you-"

**Wanderer will you please just shut up!** Both Thomas and Mary spoke at the same time, one outside her mind, the other inside her mind and she immediately went silent.

His voice lost all his authority and his cockiness as he began to express himself, displaying his true feelings for her. "I didn't came here to apologize and much less to make it up to you. If you expect a gentleman you will not find one in me. I'm not my brother and I certainly don't expect to be. I want you, I wanted Mary for so long and when you came to us wearing Mary's face and body I thought it was my second chance until I saw the real you, the real Wanderer. It was your personality I fell in love with, not your image, I could care less what host you are in, if you are a bat, if you were really a bat, or a crab, or a dragon, I don't care as long as you are with me."

Mary hid her smile, though Wanderer could hear her laughter.

_**What's so amusing?**_

**You. How does a three-inch long worm fall in love with a human being, my husband's brother at that I might add. **Mary asked, though her laughter this time was less mocking and there was genuine warmth and concern in her voice that Wanderer never thought she would hear from her again.

_**I don't think the term worm should apply to me.**_

**Sorry. I guessed with you having sort of … limbs.**

_**Not really. They're more like antennae. And I'm quite a bit longer than three inches when they're extended.**_

**My point is-**

_**He's not my species.**_

**No! I don't mean that. He's Thomas Seymour, he's been in every bed in England, and possibly France, it's well known his father took him there to make a man out of him. They called it making the Thomas.** **You weren't a woman if you weren't in his bed.**

_**I know your mother told me.**_

**So why are you in love with ... him?**

_**I don't know. I guess I formed an attachment when you sent images of Edward Seymour to me, I sensed he was yours and he was the first person that wasn't him that came to me and I fell for him.**_

**So if you'd gone ahead with your Comforter's advice and gotten yourself a new body, you wouldn't love him anymore?**

Wanderer didn't answer.

"So your love stems because of my personality?" Wanderer challenged him.

"Yes." Thomas answered but being Thomas he pushed her against a wall and imprisoned her arms knowing what ran through her mind and before she could protest, he clashed his lips against her.

* * *

"This means war." The Head Seeker said.

"We are all ready milady."

"Take the Southern entrance, you raise the thopters. It's time we give these humans the welcome they deserve."

* * *

Wanderer clawed her nails into his flesh, opening her mouth but no sound came. A gasp escaped from her lips as he thrust in her. "Do it." She pleaded and he yielded to her commands. She bit back a scream, she could feel waves of pleasure hit her as he continued to piston, leaving her reason blank and distracted from the outside world.

* * *

The Specials were the first ones to enter. Ned did his best to defend the group but there were too many and when he told everyone to move, it was too late.

"Where is Mary?" Ned asked, his wife's security and for the children she carried of his utmost priority.

His mother and the Princess Dowager shook their heads. "We haven't seen her." Kitty answered.

Ned told them to run to safety. He knew his sister and her army of Specials and Seekers were here for one person only.

He had to find her, he had to find Thomas, and more importantly Johnny. He could not lose another sibling to the Souls.

* * *

"My, my, my ..." echoed the sinister voice of the Seeker. "If it isn't our little Wanderer and my brother. How cute."


	16. Once Upon A Time

**Once Upon A Time  
**

**~o~**

"_Come little children I'll take thee all way  
into a land of enchantment.  
Come little children, the time's come to play  
here in my garden of magic …"_

**~ "Come little children" by Sarah Jessica Parker in "Hokus Pokus"**

As soon as they left the cell, Wanderer enquired on the nature of their arrest and young master John's capture.

"Why should you imagine, Wanderer, that we did not go there, or that we did not see your cabin? Is not human emotion that brought you in Thomas' arms? Is your desire to know the truth ever so strong as your host's desire to witness my downfall?"

"Your word Madame, not mine."

The Seeker raised her fist and slapped Wanderer across the face. Her cheeks stung and she could savor the metallic taste of her blood escaping from her bleeding gums.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Are you really asking me that Wanderer? You better than anyone know the answer." She said kneeling to the distraught young woman.

"I want to be the Queen, not just in name. I will not be cast out like your mother."

"My host's mother is gone."

"I do not mean Katherine, you know full well who I mean or do you forget it is her you owe your survival as well as to your father?"

"I don't owe my survival to anyone."

She smirked and lifted her chin. "You are very much like your mother's host. It is no wonder you chose a host so similar to you."

"Mary and I are not similar."

"You are." Jane disagreed. "You both think higher of yourselves than you should. You think because you are the Overlord's _daughter _and your host is his host's daughter that you have the right to do whatever you want without going unpunished but you are wrong my sweet, very wrong." Jane said, her eyes showing off her malice as her jeering tone.

"I know what I am Seeker." Answered Wanderer. And I'm not afraid, she thought. Of you or anyone. Grinding her teeth, showcasing her true emotions for the first time and the Seeker left with a devious smile at her triumph.

* * *

"How long are we going to stay here?"

Wanderer didn't answer him, her silence was answer enough. "You should have let me snap her neck."

"Doesn't it bother that she's your sister?"

Thomas shook his head. "Why should it? My sister is gone and soon I and my brother will be gone as well." And our child, but he dared not say those words.

"I am sorry." She said knowing what other things ran through his thoughts and went to him, placed her hand on top of his and offered him a light peck at his lips. He responded deepening the kiss then opening his eyes, he stopped, as he lowered them to her yet flat belly.

Their eyes locked and an understanding passed through them. No matter what happened, their child was all that mattered.

"Sleep." Wanderer said, fearing, yes fearing my dear dull reader for the first time that his big mouth would get them into trouble and reveal their big secret.

He did as she told him and closed his eyes, immediately he became enraptured by Morpheus' cold arms.

In his dreams, he saw a young girl. The same girl he'd seen that caused the rift between him and Wanderer.

She looked at him, eyes wide and frightened. She took a step back. He raised a hand. "I am not going to hurt you" attempting to stop her. She looked uncertain then finally she decided to let him touch her.

"You are so beautiful." He said pulling her into a big and warm embrace, the likes that little one had never felt before. He buried his nose in her hair. It smelled just as he remembered his baby sister Dorothy smelled, a sweet baby smell, when she was born. She looks like Dorothy. Every bit of her this strange man who dared to touch upon this forbidden creature, he thought her a goddess, his second chance at reforming his ways and making up for his mistakes and his failure to protect his lost baby sister.

Reader, nothing is more pitiful than when fathers look at their children like second chances. This was no different.

The girl, little one, with a wisdom beyond her years, cocked her head once he let her withdraw from his embrace and looked at him with those big curious eyes that resembled her unknown aunt.

She read every thought in those pair of eyes that were the same color of hers albeit darker and without the shine that distinguished her and her mother's race. Suddenly as if she possessed an ancient wisdom, she grabbed her scarlet dress' skirts and bobbed a curtsy. "Father?" She both greeted and inquired. Though her eyes reflected she knew the truth already but she needed it to hear it straight from her lips.

He nodded. "Little Tommy's girl." He broke into laughter as her brow furrowed in confusion.

Not even born and she already amused him. He could tell he would love this child upon her birth.

"I am little one, that's what mama calls me."

"It's very suiting but you need a better name, one suited for a pretty girl like you."

She blushed furiously at his words. "I like Tommy's girl." She said ignoring the cries behind her. They were so entrenched in their conversation that they did not notice another presence in the darkened room.

Thomas liked the sound of her voice; there was a slight variation from her Aunt Dorothy's voice. Whereas his sister was mischievous and daring, hers was soft, subtle and eve shy like her mother.  
She is her mother's daughter.

"Thomasine. Is that a name you can fancy?"

"Yes." She said in an ever subtle tone but her eyes reflected her joy. "May I?" She asked and he nodded.

She touched the surface of his face. Although they knew that this was only a dream, it was the only space they could talk until she was born. She longed to be part of his world. She had seen the memories of thousand lives from her mother's previous lives and the lives of her mother's host's ancestor, the woman who was carrying her and her brother. Her brother's mother.

Suddenly she remembered her brother and lowered her hands from her newfound father's face and grabbed his hand, pointing to the little boy behind her.

He was everything she wasn't, a perfect contrast of each other. Whereas she was dark haired, ivory skinned, with glowing sapphire eyes, he had a rosier complexion, his hair brownish-blond, and his eyes a dark navy blue like his father's, his brother Ned's. Indeed, observed his uncle. He looked like a miniature version of his brother.

"Eddie, you are not supposed to be here." His sister scolded lightly.

"I looking for father. Why is he here? Father says he and your mama are not to be trusted."

"You shouldn't listen to what they have to say. You are here with me and I will protect you."

"How can you? We are trapped and they are going to dissect us. You heard what the Princess Dowager said, once they get wind of our existence they will use us against our race."

"It's your race not mine."

"It is too. Your sire is human as mine."

"I am half human, I am more Soul than human, my mother will protect us." She said fully convinced.

His little nephew said nothing, instead he looked at his uncle for support.

"I will protect you." Thomas said decisively. In that moment, he assumed both the roles of father and mother in the absence of their parents.

The children asked him for a story, there was not many Thomas knew or remembered from his childhood. His father was too busy molding him to be his successor. But for the children's sake he invented one.

"Once upon a time ..."

* * *

"We have to find her." Ned said decisively, his coldness dying away as he was shown the holographic plans by their metal servant who had survived the raid.

Both his mother and Mary's nodded their heads slowly in silent agreement. Their grandchildren's welfare was all that mattered now. Margery Seymour had abandoned all hope for her youngest son. Whatever the Head Seeker wanted with him, it could not be good.

* * *

Thomas woke with a jolt. Next to him was his youngest brother, Johnny asleep with his arms crossed against his chest.

It was an odd position he was in. His face bore no emotion; there was no fear or tension registered. On the contrary, there was nothing but placidity. He was in a state of calmness; complete nirvana.

Thomas forgot about Wanderer and the children and focused his attentions instead on his youngest brother. He knew wherever they were keeping Wanderer; they would not harm her. It was not like with Kate; they did not know she was pregnant and as long as it was kept that way, she would be safe. The Souls would not harm one of their own.

"Johnny, Johnny." He started shaking him more wildly until he got a response from his little brother. He stirred and said in a half-drowsy voice "Mother, five more minutes."

Thomas laughed. Johnny dearest you never change.

His laughter suddenly died down as his brother opened his eyes and before him he saw the same monster that had taken his sisters, inserted on them, killed one of them and dissected his unborn child.

"Thomas? Are you all right? It's me, why are you looking at me like that?"

Thomas averted his gaze. He squeezed his fists.

They have taken everything.

He thought about Cat, his sisters, Dorothy, his unborn child, Wanderer …

The young Soul, more cautious this time and with a child-like and mocking laugh advanced to his older brother and placed a hand on his shoulder. As soon as he did, he realized his mistake.

"Tommy…"

Thomas wheeled around furiously and beat his fists against his brother's young body like he was a sack of flour.

Not Johnny, not Johnny, he thought wildly trashing his fists against the poor defenseless Soul who was screaming for help, crying out to his brother. This was no longer his brother. This was a monster. A monster! He screamed, his hands around his neck, squeezing what was left of the Soul's life out of him.

"Please … we can reach an agreement …brother … Thomas!"

"You are not my brother." He said through gritted teeth, pressing harder, his eyes seeing red as young Soul's eyes flashed furiously at him.

* * *

Ned kicked the door of Thomas' cell. He was greeted with a sight as horrific as Dante's ninth level of hell must have seem to you reader when you first read the Divine Comedy. A sight that touched his heart and touched his soul. A sight he wished he hadn't but had seen.


	17. Despair

**Disclaimer: I don't own nothing, everything belongs to History, Hirst and Stephanie Meyer. I do rule as Goddess Supreme however in this AU ;).**

**Thanks to everyone for their reviews, hope you enjoy next chapter ! Please leave your comments.**

* * *

**Despair  
**

**~o~**

"_I've known people that the world has thrown everything at to discourage them … to break their spirit. And yet something about them retains a dignity. They face life and don't ask quarters."_

_~Horton Foote_

"How could you let them capture him?" The Head Seeker, her eyes flashing furiously at him.

"You don't know what lengths I've gone through to please your every whim."

"_Please_?" She let out a raucous laughter, finding his anger extremely amusing "That's a word you'd hardly used, you're letting him take control of you Henry. You're letting the old King resurface."

"Nay, I've done one human's whim and that's your host. I've let you lead me to this wild goose's chase and for what? So you could keep your host at bay?"

"I never-" but he interrupted her.

"What did you promise Jane Seymour, Jane? Did you tell her you'd deliver her brother to her doorstep and he would retain his humanity? Be one of you-"

"You know I would never make a pact with those humans." But he rose and walked menacingly towards her.

"Just what exactly did you think was going to happen wife when he was put in your arms? That Jane would let you live freely and happily while you lived off from her dreams and ambitions?" She said nothing, she stared wide-eyed at Henry. He'd caught her. "Did you really believe that she'd let you? Wasn't it you who said we shouldn't pact with humans, that they were dangerous and would stab us in the back at any given moment?"

"Henry, I-"

"Don't Henry me!" Jane nearly stumbled back, stopped only as her back hit the wall. Henry had cornered her. She was confined in this little space, imprisoned like a common slave. **Like a**_** human**_**.** A voice from within said. Jane shun it but it was too strong as her husband's grip. "Now it's Henry is it? Tell me Seeker, when were you going to tell me that that human bitch was still alive and speaking to you? Don't try and deny it" He yelled, shaking her. "I can see it in your eyes. She's speaking to you right now."

"I am not overtaken by human emotion as you are my lord." She said acidly, her voice filled with mock and dripping with venom. "I know what I am and more so and I know that your host still lives."

"Such simple words spoken from the mouth of the Head Seeker. Tell me Jane, how long would it have been before she overtook you? Three, four, maybe five months if you're strong enough to control her."

"I have subdued her. Check the scans. I've passed all the head scans, there is nothing there except my presence. How about you my lord?" She tilted her head, laughing mockingly at her Overlord. "You've never taken a head scan since you took over the former King. Why is that? Are you afraid our people will see through your façade?"

His hands went to her neck. She only laughed more. She enjoyed pain. It was the catalyst, her elixir, that sparked the passion in her relationships with many of her bedmates, among them fellow Seeker and her second in command, Sir Francis. That one eye rogue had warmed her bed more times than Henry had. His use for her was clear –beget a son. She had. And afterwards he had cared very little for what she did and whom she spent her nights with.  
Their marriage was a farce. He knew it, she knew it and they didn't care. It was her job to hunt down the humans and bring them to the medical center to be occupied by new Souls. Period.  
His job was to rule them, nothing else. But as of late, because of his obsession with the old Princess Dowager, he was showing himself incapable. He could not separate his host's feelings from his own objectives.  
New leadership was needed and Jane had the right person in mind.

He withdrew his hands and gave her one last look before dismissing her. Jane didn't think twice as she walked out of the room with a smile on her face.

Laugh Jane, thought Henry, it will be your _last_.

* * *

"When are we going to tell mother?" Thomas asked staring absent mindedly as Ned dumped his brother's body on the pit he dug for him and started dumping the earth bag to him.

"I don't know." He said in earnest.

"You should tell her, you are her favorite son."

"I am not the one who killed her favorite son." Ned shot back, tightening his grip on the shovel, pushing back the dirt on the pit with more speed. His eyes shone the repressed fury that he could not express through words.  
Their brother slept soundly now. Who knew if given the chance he could have overpowered the Soul. In all truth, Ned did not blame Thomas for what he had done. He wiped the sweat from his brow as he took five seconds to rest and catch his breath. If it had been him, he probably would have done the same and would not have hesitated as Thomas did.

He wheeled to his brother briefly as he resumed his work, "If you want to tell her, that's fine by me. I could care less, we have more important things to worry about like how are we going to get our fair maidens out of the dragon's clutches." Then smiled as he heard Thomas sneer, "I am glad your sense of humor has returned."

Done, he threw the shovel and took his place next to Thomas. Both brothers bowed his head and said their silent prayers.

"Amen." They finished and Thomas was the only one who crossed himself. Ned had stopped believing in the Almighty but Thomas still believed.

"One down…" he said with very little humor but with a smile gracing his lips. "… three to go."

Ned nodded eying his brother's tomb with clutched fists. This is what humans are reduced to when we face hardship. We become little more than animals, beggars, savages, creatures struggling to meet ends meet, fighting each other, killing each other for survival. Priests teach us that God will provide but in truth, God is no more real than the hope each day brings. Illusions, falsehood! We, my dear reader, love to blind ourselves from the truth with lies but the truth in its ultimate quest for vengeance always catches up with us.

* * *

"You let him go! You let them capture him!" Margery cried beating her fists against her eldest sons, going from Ned to Thomas, screaming insults and obscenities at them.

Her boy, her darling, beautiful, little boy… Gone …

"I hope you are happy Thomas with your darling Wanderer. This is all her doing and you Ned," her gaze shifted to Edward. "It was not enough that everyone was screaming at you, begging you to see your reason. Your poor mother, see her here her hands empty. I've lost everything –my children. Johnny, the only hope we had left and you let them take him! You killed him!" She said lastly.

Ned's lower lip quivered, he was shaking. Without warning, he grabbed his mother's shoulders and nailed her against a wall. The other members tried to stop him but one glare from him was enough to send them back.

"I've forsaken my soul for you. I've done everything for you. Don't tell me that I did you wrong because I've done everything you asked of me. I've done every little sacrifice, I've pleased your every whim, EVERYTHING so you I could keep you safe!"

"Safe? Look around you boy, nobody is ever safe!" Margery said with the same deadly tone. Ned stepped back looking down at his trembling hands.

Who was the beast? Who was the Soul? Perhaps Johnny had been right. Before they'd taken him, he told him he was afraid they were losing their humanity. Perhaps he is right. Perhaps we are already dead.

No! That was impossible. They were better than _they!_ He turned to Thomas whose eyes could not meet him.

His mother walked to her (now) youngest son and slapped him. Such was the force of the slap he fell down, feeling his gums bleeding.

"You … you brought us nothing but shame. Since you were born your father did nothing but show you off to the world, to brothels, every whore he can find to suck on your cock. I knew the moment you were born you were going to be a burden on me. But this … this is beyond anything you've done. All the whores, the harlots, I could put up with them but this thing!" She advanced to her son who raised himself and stared defiantly at her. He was not afraid of her. He'd received more chastising in his young life from his father that when compared to him, his mother's touch felt soft and weak as a woman's should –he thought, smiling.

His smile angered her and she raised her hand to strike her but Ned caught it in the air. Margery looked from her two sons. She pronounced her last sentence. "You two killed my boy and you Ned, I expected more from you. You were our family's pride, my pride and joy. When you were born, it was as if the bells were ringing for you. I remember it oh so well, your father said you were fragile but I knew that you would grow strong and wise just like my father-"

"Mother please stop this nonsense before your cause yourself a metal injury-"

"What could be more harmful than being told your son was taken by those creatures then killed by the brother that God only knows why, he loved and admired? I hope God forgives you both and takes pity on your souls because He alone knows that I will not. You were my joy Edward, after all the hurt and anguish I suffered and went through because of your father, you were that light at the end of the tunnel. When I thought I was going to die, your cries brought me back. I was so happy to have you in my arms …" Tears trailed down her eyes, she covered her mouth, sobbing. Catalina tried to comfort her but she shove the former Queen and Princess Dowager away. She needed no one's pity. "I am old, I will have nothing left. I want to die knowing that I did something good. Wanderer …" She spat on the floor, forcing back the vile that was rising down her throat. "… Mary, they hold the promise of your future, our future in their wombs."

Thomas and Ned looked at each other surprise at the dramatic shift that had taken place; they locked their gazes with their mother whose eyes pierced theirs. "I don't care how you do it, how long it takes but none of you is coming back until you bring those children safe and sound."

"And Wanderer?"

"Mary?" Edward asked, following up on Thomas' question.

"What happens to her afterwards?" Thomas asked.

Margery waved her hand dismissively, ignoring the Spanish Princess' death glare and her best friend's piercing gaze. "That is none of my business, I only care about my grandchildren's welfare. They are all that matter now." She said turning away from their disapproving gaze and after a minute of silence, she said her farewells and left.

Catalina approached the two men. She took her handkerchief and helped Thomas wipe the blood coming from his gums. "Tis all well, I did this for my ladies when they suffered from abuse. I am used to it. I never have had to do it to a man, I must confess." She said, feigning sweetness. Thomas could see as his brother she also blamed them for her daughter's disappearance but unlike the elder Margery, she had the good sense of keeping her thoughts to herself.

"There, all better now."

"Thank you, my lady." Thomas said earnestly, giving a small smile.

Ned did the same, however, his eyes still burned with hatred. Catalina said nothing but held his hand and thrust forward her mother's rosary. Ned said nothing but bowed his head for the first time in deep respect to the Princess Dowager and promised to her he would not shrink from his responsibilities. This time he would fight for Mary, their unborn child and his niece, and bring them back at all cost.

Thomas followed his brother and together they took the darkest stallions, knowing these were the kind of stallions the Specials and Seekers rode and were unlikely to suspect, and rode into the dead of night in search of their lost ones.

* * *

Mary was visited by her father. Wanderer was scared. She receded to her fortress of solitude, taking the children with her. Mary was angry she could not speak with her own child. Every time she tried, he was scared and wailed for his father, Wanderer, or his sister.

Mary yearned to have the same connection as Wanderer had with her child.

"Your Majesty." She said, bobbing a curtsy, her eyes lowered.

He tipped her chin and took a good look at her. His mouth agape at how much she had changed. He had seen her progress from the surveillance cameras but that was different. Now that she was standing before him and he did not know what to say.

"Daughter."

"Your Majesty." She repeated, stiffening as his hand fell to her naked shoulder. She felt the vile rising. His touch repulsed her. **Wanderer help me**, she pleaded with her Soul but Wanderer refused to answer. It had been years since they saw each other. Since she went into the cryo-tank in fact. It had been on her insistence that she gotten Mary as her host.

He raised his other hand and urged her in a silken voice to raise her eyes. She did so; afraid he would harm her if she did not.

**Wanderer!** She tried again. No response. **Damn you!**

**That worm**; she hissed. _**Just**_ _**when I need her the mos**_t; so typical of these Souls to abandon them when they got what they wanted.

"How long it has been." Mary spoke at last, seeing he would not let her go until she did.

"Too long but you are here with us at last."

"Us?"

"You, Wanderer, and I, and" he lowered his eyes to her flat stomach. "your children." He held her hands. "Together we will bring a new dawn. You will be the mother of a new civilization."

His words sent chills down her spine and she could feel Wanderer's fear as well as their children who flocked to her seeking comfort.

She nodded, biting her tongue to keep her from shouting at him. Liar, hypocrite, all of her repressed feelings in one sentence. She waited until he finished then when he did, she went to the bathroom where she threw up what little she had ate into the sink. She was happy that monster had left.

She tore off her silver gown and put on one of the old gowns she remembered from the days before these creatures took over her planet.

It finally caught up with her, the pain, the loss, the realization she would never see Ned and her mother again. It was all too much for the former Princess and rebellion fighter, and she collapsed on the bed, writhing and moaning, sobbing as she felt the pain of Wanderer and their children alike.

She was lost. Everything was lost. They had won, she and Ned, Thomas and Wanderer, it had all been for nothing.

_Mary_ –she suddenly heard a voice and went to its source. She opened the drapes of the window to her balcony but as soon as she did, she saw nothing but bleak skies.

I've been a fool. Just then, she heard that voice again and she turned again. This time it was stronger and when she asked who it was, she saw before her manifest the image of a two year old sandy blond, blue-eyed, boy, slowly making his way to her. "Mary." He said, taking her hand. His grip was strong like her husband's and his serious expression reminded her so much of Ned. Seeing her confusion, he raised his other hand to her belly and gave her a small smile that made her realize whom he was, then he vanished.

Her hand went to her belly; she felt an immediate response.

_It will all be well._ He said again, this time from within her mind. _Help is on the well, endure Mary, father will come rescue us both._


	18. Soul Searching

**Soul Searching**

**~o~**

"_Confession is good for the conscience, but it usually bypasses the soul."_

_~ "The Neurotic's Notebook" by Mignon McLaughlin_

They were not quite asleep when their newfound companions started awake, rolling to their knees in a swift movement. They came up with the ray guns they'd stolen from the Seekers and a curse on their lips.

"Easy," a voice murmured from the distance. "I come in peace earthlings."

"Whatever you're selling, we're not buying." Thomas growled. His companions nodded. Ned kept his gaze fixated t the stranger as he came from the shadows. They instantly recognized him.

"Owen." One of them said.

"I just want to talk." Owen Cullen said, his shining grey eyes distinguishing him from the rest.

"We don't want your kind!"

"Go back where you came from worm!"

"Guys, I don't mean to cause any harm, you're missing the point here. Thomas come on, you know it's me, tell your brother and his pack of crazies here to lower their guns."

"Go back." Ned said tightening his hold on the gun, echoing everyone else.

Owen sighed, passing a hand through his coppery hair. It was the only thing that was different from his sister Carrie who'd gotten the sandy blond hair like the rest of his siblings but that was to be expected since they were all related to the Wentworths and they were known for their sandy blond hair and other fair features. Him? He was more like his father, copper head, dark eyes now altered because of the parasite that had been inserted in him and darker skin. Carrie always liked to joke that if a Soul got inserted, it would be a nice touch to his dark features. Now that he was inserted, he would've loved to see Carrie to see what her reaction would be to his shiny new eyes.

His laughter only made things worse as he heard some of them pulled down some of the old muskets, including his old friends, the Seymour brother.

"Oh, put the guns down. If I was planning to fight you, I would have come with an army."

There was a short silence, and when Ned spoke again, his voice carried a hint of dark humor. "How's your new brethren these days?" he asked.

Ned seemed to enjoy the question, so did Thomas, it relaxed them a bit to tease their visitor. When they realized he meant no harm and he had come unarmed and wearing no transmitter, they sat him down with them.

"They're still fuming about the dead Seekers and the weapons you stole from them. I don't think they'd never expected four raggedy, dirty, savage humans stealing their weapons. Specials maybe, they're always young, careless Souls, they don't know what mess they get in but Seekers, now that's something everyone will be talking in the Capital."

"How is everything down there?" One of them asked. "We heard it's a mess."

"The Head Seekers is talking of human substitutions, things are not boding well for us."

"Us? You are one of them now."

"For now." Owen said, remaining calm. "I am still with you guys, until I can get this slug out of my head I am still human as the rest of you."

"That makes little difference when you are against one of our gunners. The others won't see you as one of ours."

"Then I'm lucky I'm stuck with you guys." He said and everyone laughed quietly.

Thomas shifted uncomfortably as they constantly referred to him as_ slug_. Was this what Wanderer had criticized as human behavior? "Savages, nothing more than vain and monstrous beings looking only after themselves, you think of each other as different. You could be great but you let your prejudice cloud your vision."

"So what do you want, Owen? Not an apology for taking command in your absence, I imagine." Ned asked, his tone sarcastic as ever. The others leaned closer to hear his answer.

"No, I would actually thank you if that's all I came for. You've done good in my absence, I couldn't have kept the Resistance going this long."

"Don't be so noble, you always bored us with your noble talk." One of their companions who was named Paul, said.

"You weren't followed?" Ned asked, his eyes open, always on alert for any impending danger.

"No, they don't even know I'm out. I reprogrammed that machine to keep things running for me in the factory."

"So from big Resistance leader to factory drone, that must be a new low for you."

"Not as much, the Soul bitches are good to be around with, they mess around with any Soul that's willing and that smile makes it easy to get past the glittery eyes."

"Look at you, little Soul getting far in the world. Next thing we know you'll be getting in the Head Seeker's pants or her handsome sister."

Thomas and Ned looked at each other unsure of what to think of what the former leader of the Resistance said. Nobody considered Elizabeth, beautiful. Even she did not think of herself that way. At least she did not when she was alive.

"Did Wolsey not tell you?"

"Tell us what?" Thomas and Ned asked simultaneously, the latter looking at his former friend suspiciously. His eyes could not get past that glittery color on his irises.

"I thought you knew. They've given up the search for you guys. Even the Seekers. No one's looking."

The Seymour brothers didn't comment, but he could feel the sudden tension in the air around him.

"We've been keeping a close watch for some change but they never seemed overly anxious. The she-dragon has called off the search, for the past few days they've done nothing but mobilizing their Seekers to other areas where rumors are the slaves are revolting. Whether that's true or not, I cannot say. But one of them was dragged out here in the dark before you took down four of them by wild beasts. He wasn't seriously hurt but that seems to have answered any questions what happened to the rebel survivors."

"And us."

"Oh yes, and you." Said Owen, cursing himself for the omission.

"You said they were still looking for us though, that this would be on the talk of all the Capital."

"It will but with the problems your sister has-"

"She's not our sister." Ned said sharply.

"-the Head Seeker" Owen rephrased, wincing at the sudden change of tone in his friend's voice. "has, she won't be looking for you anytime soon, besides you'll be saving her a lot of trouble."

"We have to get Wanderer and Mary soon."

"Yes, that's been on every news report around the globe. The Souls are making a circus out of this, even the more passive ones who did not favor their methods of Seeking are now seeing them as heroes. You really went above and beyond this time."

"I don't expect you will understand."

"No, I _do_ understand and that's why I'm here."

"Wolsey sent you." Ned concluded, seeing the bigger picture at last.

"He did and he wants you to stop this nonsense before you give the Seekers anymore ideas to turn the people against us."

"They already are." The one Paul said with the other next to him, nodding. "All the worms hunt us down or give us to the Seekers and Specials so why should we care what they think?"

"Because it does makes a difference!" Owen said, louder than he had intended. "Not all the worms are alike, there are some, Wolsey and I have met, that are sympathetic to our cause-"

"Sympathetic!" Paul and his companion snorted. "We don't need those slugs pity, we need their bodies squashed under our boots. That's what we need." He raised his boot and made an ugly gesture then spit at his boot as if he had one underneath as he described.

Owen shook his head, he was losing his time trying to appease them and he went to Thomas and Ned. They knew what he was going to ask and told him ahead no. "They will only cause you more trouble."

"We can't just leave them here."

"Do it." Owen urged them. "You've never had trouble before. They will only slow us down, we can leave first thing tomorrow at dawn, leave their guns, their canned food but we take all our stuff. It will be as if we were never here."

Thomas was not comfortable with this idea and he could see his brother wasn't either but Ned would not voice his thoughts aloud just to anyone, especially Owen given his … _condition._

They left before dawn as Owen told them to and just before they got to the Capital Owen ordered them to stop.

Ned came to a halt and got down from his horse along with Thomas who slapped their rear ends, sending them running.

"Now what?" Ned asked, his patience thinning at Owen.

Owen led them to the city and told them to stay low. "They will see us."

"Not today, there won't be a single cloud today and it will be very hot, everyone will be wearing their sun-glasses, including you," he handed them a pair. "This way."

They did not recognize this path. It felt like an eternity since they'd been in London. Ned had done some spying but he never got this close to the heart of the Capital, to the palace now renamed Aquitas.

"You got to hand it to them, for being a soulless lot, they are very imaginative when it comes to naming things."

Thomas and Ned did not laugh at his attempt of a joke. They had more important things on mind.

"This is as far as I will go." Owen said when they reached the palace.

"You're not coming?" Thomas asked.

"This is as far my friends as I can travel. If I step in there I will be putting you and Wolsey in danger."

"I thought everyone could enter."

"Everyone yes but it's my shift and I already missed one day of work, another one and they will be asking questions."

They nodded, not fully trusting him but they had to accept his explanation. He had gotten them this far; they said their farewells, then went their separate ways.

* * *

"I'll keep an eye on her when I can. And I'll expect you to take these reports to His Majesty once your done filing the paper work. That ought to take his mind from the Head Seeker's reports."

"That won't be enough, you'll need a whole stack of papers to take his mind and body out of her." Henry said jokingly but the Healer didn't see where the joke was and his glare silenced him.

"I'll do it right away, sir." His aide said then left.

Thought he'd never leave, Mary thought. "He's a good boy." Linacre said as he used one of his apparatus to do a scan of her unborn children. "Everything looks fine, you're just a little dehydrated. You hate to drink more water and start taking on more nutrients. Have you been taking the pills I sent last time? No? Alright then. Can I ask you a question?"

Mary said nothing. She had not said nothing since she last spoke with her father and that had been almost a week. She was beginning to lose hope that Ned would rescue her.

Seeing she was not going to speak and remain stubborn, Linacre went ahead, "Do you really hate all of us? All of our kind?"

Mary thought Yes! It was the first thought that went through her mind but seeing the man's wounded gaze she decided against it. Honestly, she did not know what to think. Since he had treated her, he had been nothing but kind but that kindness she was sure, was just part of an act. These were slugs, worms, invaders, parasites nothing more. They lived off the sweat and work from good people and their bodies to get what they wanted.

"I thought so. Well let me tell you something, not all of us are Seekers. There are some of us who are genuinely concerned with your health and your unborn children's health but if that's how you wish to remain, be my guest. Madame." He said taking the apparatus with her and bowing as he would to a Princess in the old days before the occupation and leaving her.

_**You could have at least tried.**_ Wanderer chastised. _**We are not made to be cruel.**_

**Tell that to my mother and to all the hosts you've taken. Tell that to the children inside us. Do you think they feel comforted? **

_**I know they do. More than with you.**_

**Pff**, Mary snorted and waved her hand. The maid that came in seeing her strange gestures asked if she was alright, her voice as gentle as Linacre's but Mary refused to answer and instead gave her a cold glare that sent the girl out of the room, whimpering. It had been the first time she was witness to this emotion and she hadn't like it. _**She's a young Soul. **_Wanderer explained as the maid returned despite her protests.

"Water my lady. You wrote in the screen you wanted water." Mary said nothing, she only nodded and turned her back on her. The servant was struck by her lady's coldness. Why were humans so mean and cold? Why couldn't they be happy like they. Their planet was clean, everyone was happy, perfect and she had the privilege of having the greatest Soul that ever lived inserted in her. She _should_ be happy.

Aware of her nagging presence, Mary turned violently and when she spoke, the servant wished she hadn't gotten her wish. "Are you deaf or you just can't hear your heart beating. You are clearly afraid and don't want to be here anymore than I do." She said as a matter of factly. "So why don't you make like a tree and get out of here."

"Doctor Linacre said … the Healer said … he said…"

"He … he …" she mimicked her squeaky voice. "I don't care what Healer or Doctor Linacre or whatever the hell you call him, said, I just want you, all of your kind, out of here!"

"We came here not to destroy…" Her words were lost in her sobs. Mary felt a pang of sadness and guilt, but she suspected that was a result of what Wanderer was feeling.

"Just get out of here!"

**_See what you've done?_ **Wanderer asked when the maid had gone. **_This is what your people do. You ruin even the strongest of Souls. I didn't know for sure until I saw her, her name was Arwin; she was once revered as a Goddess in another planet. She fought for their kind until they turned on her and killed all of her host's family. They were the closest things similar to your people, created to be your servants._**

**Created?** She could feel Wanderer nod. **By whom?** It alarmed Mary that there was another species out there with the capability to play God.

Wanderer shrugged. "No one knows." Wanderer said using Mary's own voice again. She pushed Mary back and she let her, she was tired of being around Souls. This was Wanderer's world and she was more uncomfortable in the recesses of her minds. Plus, it would give her the chance she never had, to get closer to her son and her niece whom he'd spoken highly of.

"Is Thomasine there with you? Is she hearing our conversation?"

**Thomasine? Who named her? You? Does not surprise me; you are always so eager to please.**

_**It was not me. It was actually Thomas.**_

**Oh.**

_**Yes. Besides, I couldn't keep calling her little one.**_

**You called her child little one?**

**_I didn't know what else to call her!_ **Wanderer said frustrated. How was she supposed to act? She told Mary, it was the first time she ever had something that belonged to her.

**Tell me more about these creators, did you ever find them? Could they be…**

"God?" Wanderer interrupted. She shook her head. "No, impossible. In all our voyages throughout the universe we never found anything that remotely resembles or exalts our belief in our creator."

**That doesn't mean there isn't none. He or even She could be out there hiding, maybe watching over you, judging what you are doing and waiting for the right moment of deliverance-**

Wanderer interrupted her again. "Mary, even if there is a God supposing there is something remotely associated to the supernatural being as you and your species believe, there is nothing in our voyages that can corroborate that. Even if there was, he, she or they, would have to be aliens like us, visitors from another planet." She explained to the religious girl; knowing some things needed a lot of explaining to her race.

**That doesn't mean there isn't something omniscient to He, She or They.**

_**Doesn't mean there is either.**_ Wanderer returned.

She lied down against the soft cushioned of the bed. It was good to be back somewhere decent. She thought of the rest of the humans, their slaves. She never really thought of them. They lived better as Soul servants than they did out there living like savages like Ned Seymour (it was the first time used Mary's alias for him) and his brethren. Even Thomas agreed with her sometimes.

**He would say anything to get in your stockings.**

_**Do you always think negatively on every one?**_

**No, only those that want to take advantage of my friends**.

**_Oh, so you think me as your friend?_**

Mary rolled her eyes. **Not really, I'm just warning you. You heard what Linacre said.**

_**No, I didn't. What did he say?**_

**Well… that you weren't monsters and** …

**_I know that. I meant Thomas. Did he say something about Tom?_**

She could feel Mary raise an eyebrow and heard her chuckling in amusement. _**It's just a nickname, there is nothing-**_

**You don't need to explain yourself to me Wanderer.** Mary said.** And no, he said nothing about Tom.**

**_Are you certain?_**

**Yes, I am. Stop being so suspicious**. Mary's tone verged on frustration and anger.

_**You were the first who was being suspicious.**_ She said but Mary didn't answer.

She was interested in knowing what the Healer's opinion was on her relationship and what her Comforter's would be? She knew that she had no problem with her sleeping with her partner or spouse, whatever he was to her; but her Healer? Would he approve?

She felt some connection to the man. Maybe it was from Mary's memory, he had been the royal doctor and had known her very well but that was a different Linacre; he'd changed his first name from that of his host, keeping only his last. This Linacre was more empathetic and sympathetic to her plight than his human counterpart would have been.

She asked Mary's opinion of this but she refused to speak. She was having troubles of her own getting the others to speak to her. Her daughter was refusing to speak with her and she called on Wanderer constantly. She sent a message through their connection, she would be with her soon.

_When?_ Thomasine asked.

_**Soon**_, Wanderer answered. _**Now go back to your brother and be **_**nice**_** to your Aunt**_ –she added rather hastily. The thought of someone else touching her daughter felt very foreign to her, she almost felt jealous at Mary.

She shook these awful feelings that were threatening to take control of her away. It was very strange to feel this way, to feel like this.

She looked at her hands. Human hands. She remembered in Singing World how everyone would sit down and echo each other's screeching before they went to capture their prey.

It was like a ritual; she told Mary they would all rest their wings and raise their eyes to the sky in admiration.

**So you _do_ believe.** Mary said breaking her chain of thought.

**_I guess after a while the material world starts getting dull and you want to believe there is something beyond the already explored but Mary even if there is, why would you believe that mysterious force is benevolent or in any way sympathetic to your plight?_**

**I don't believe it's sympathetic, I know it is. How else can you explain the miracle of life, the fact that I am still alive even after that fall and that our children? Our children Wanderer, something that should have never happened are with us and speaking with us in this very moment.**

There were actually many explanations for that but Wanderer was not going to contradict her, it was one of the few moments they were at peace with each other.


	19. Frustrations

**Frustrations**

**~o~**

_"Resist beginnings; the prescription comes too late when the disease has gained strength by long delays."_

_~Ovid_

"Mary, Mary." She woke up to the sound of a thunderous voice. Who was that? Oh, that was right. She remembered. She was inside Wanderer's body. Her body. Why did she even think it was Wanderer's body? It was as if she had given up all claim on it.

Now she knew how Margery the Elder felt. She had stolen her sons' affection and her place as the matriarch of the Seymour family and the second in command in the Resistance. After Edward, she was the one people flocked to for advice and sought for, for her leadership. Now it was Mary they went to.

She couldn't blame the woman. Soon she would have a son –if these damned demons didn't kill him or insert on him first- and like her, she would guard him jealously over any other woman and keep him away from anyone that would threaten to usurp her position in her son's heart.

"Lady Mary." The Healer repeated again. She didn't answer. She was still too much in the habit of silence.

Doctor Linacre was beginning to be nervous that Lady Mary could suffer from some mental illness. Since their instruments and robotic microscopic they were able to detect the cause and stop much of human suffering and illness.

Death itself could be averted, it only required a Soul to be willing to transplant his or her host's consciousness to a clone body if he or she so wished it. Female slaves to avoid the surplus of population, were transplanted a cloned embryo of themselves. The memories would not be awakened until they were much older, but not old enough to have developed a different personality.

It was the sole reason why Abominations were so seen so down upon in their society. These … children … if they could be called that –could never develop a personality of their own. They would grow to be slaves, mindless drones of their former selves, their vessel's ancestors, and possess all the knowledge from their Soul mother's past hosts. They would be a threat to intergalactic security, to the realm, and to themselves as well.

"I am well Doctor. Thank you."

Linacre raised an eyebrow. This was a first. Mary read his thoughts and advanced to him, sitting down in an empty chair next to his, a golden table in between them. "I shall never forget your behavior, you have behaved in a very gentleman-like manner and I could address you in no other possible way. I have been a selfish being all my life. As a child, I was raised to believe I would be Queen, after the Souls came I still believed it so. You must think me pretentious. You deserve nothing but my kindness. I am sorry if I ever offended you or you were offended by my outrageous behavior. It was never intentional, I assure you."

"Not at all my lady. I know that her ladyship is behaving very much according to her station and her place in society but with all due respect to my lady, this is not your place anymore. Society has changed. We are all more equal."

"Why do you then keep referring to your Overlord in his old host's former title? You treat him and Lady Jane-"

"Her Majesty."

"Her Majesty, Lady Jane, forgive me differently, than you do other Souls. I can't help but wonder if some of our old ways are winning."

The way she said old ways, made Linacre smile. "Yes" said he, not realizing he'd spoken his thoughts aloud. "Maybe they have," he said more composed. "Perhaps human emotions are finally getting to us."

"You make it sound like it is a good thing."

"You expected me to condemn human emotion, the closest thing we have" and we will ever have –he added silently with a grin, making her snigger, "to an actual soul?"

"You are a good Soul Mr. Linacre, and I do not mean amongst your species but all species."

"And you my lady are a gentle, as gentle as they come, ever a benevolent soul."

The omission of the word 'human' no longer angered her. She gave him an open smile, a smile both she and Wanderer shared as their features brightened.

He placed a hand on top of hers, left the vitamin supplements on top of the table standing between them, and then he left.

See, that wasn't so bad?

Don't spoil the moment.

* * *

"We have been hiding in Owen's quarters for three days. How longer?"

"Be patient Thomas. We have to plot out this good if we want to succeed."

"I say we go in there and take them."

Ned looked at him.

"We can spare a few rounds, take down one of the guards-"

"Thomas we cannot do that without the risk of being discovered!" He composed at once seeing their host going to the door to make sure his roommates had not yet returned from their midnight shifts.

"We cannot give the Seeker any reason to harm Mary, you know she will and she has a strong dislike for your Wanderer. You want her to harm your unborn child too?" Thomas said nothing. "Think!" He hit the back of his head.

"If we continue here brooding-"

Edward interrupted, hitting his fist on the table. "Thomas, will you shut up? There are more important things at stake here."

"Like what? Your Mary?"

"This isn't just about my Mary or your Wanderer for that matter but for our children as well. Do you want them to grow up miserable as pets, lab rats?" Thomas hesitated. "Thought so. So listen to what I have to say and have care for your words. The more we continue arguing the more valuable time we waste in rescuing your precious slug-" Thomas squeezed his fists but seeing Ned's dangerous glare he rethought his decision for a second time. Ned held up a hand. He didn't trust his brother enough to guard his tongue. His brother was rash and that was probably why Wanderer loved him because he was rash and reckless as she. Mary made reckless decisions but those were not with good reason.

He made a gesture to Owen who brought over a map he'd stolen from the interior of Aquitas Palace. "Here it is, just as you guys asked for. Aquitas, you will never find a more sumptuous palace anywhere. So where do you guys want to start? There is a rear entrance in the back, they used to use it, well King Henry used to, to execute cooks."

"Cooks? Did he really go that far?"

"Yes, he did." Ned interrupted Owen, taking the words from his mouth. "You remember, you were probably too young but you were there. Remember?" He repeated.

Thomas closed his eyes then opened them, nodding slowly. "Oh yes, I almost forgot. Father kept chuckling, mother clutched your hand, and Dorothy, poor Dorothy she nearly had a fit."

The Seymour brothers chuckled. It was good to be reminded of the old days –before the invasion, before the dark days …

"So what are you going to do?" Owen said, cutting their little tender moment, sarcastically.

Thomas and Ned said nothing. Owen had brought their minds back to the present. It was a cruel thing to do but they needed to get things done and it did nobody any good to be brooding over what had been and could have been.

"The South entrance. As you pointed out, it's a good place to start." Ned finally said going every other detail with their host until they finally laid out a good rescue plan.

"So we will enter here, then here, then finally we will come out from here."

"And all this without any fights?" Owen asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically, his constant sarcastic smile on.

"Yes." Was all Ned said imperiously leaving no more room for discussion.

They would go with Ned's plan as they always did and they would proceed so with caution because Ned was calculate and precise –something Thomas hated because he believed in being rash and acting out of pure, sheer will. He believed in getting things done, period. And he hated more than anything else, out of all the brilliant qualities in his brother, that he always got the upper hand. That his voice was so commanding as his presence that everyone –fromt his mother to their friends- felt intimidated to question him.

The following morning they said their farewells to Owen –who had already done enough for them, they had to leave him behind unless they risked him becoming exposed and exposing all of them, including Wolsey whom he assured them would help them in their quest to rescue their "fair maiden" from the "angry dragon" as he called it.

With a jesting smile he said goodbye and wheeled around, leaving them to their quest.

* * *

The ground before began to tremble. "Where am I?" She wondered, then seeing the lights around her room, noticing this was not her room at all but a darkened room with shut windows except for two where a mixture of green and blue light came and odd paintings showed on the ceilings, she realized that she was inside her Soul's fortress of solitude.

"Is mother going to come soon?" She wheeled around and found Wanderer's child staring back at her. "She promised she would, I wrote something for her and for my lord father a well?"

Mary beckoned her to come, crooking her finger but Thomasine was hesitant. "Come here child" Mary insisted, Thomasine did so at last. She cupped her face and looked very well at her features. Yes, Thomas' child indeed but there was a lot of her mother in her as well, Katherine of Aragon's strong Spanish complexion in her face with her fair skin and beautiful sapphire blue eyes.

"I feel that you and I will be linked forever."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you and I are related, your brother is my son and despite what your mother tells you, you come from me, see, touch here." She pulled her hand and placed it on her –yet- flat stomach. Thomasine felt strong movement inside her that she knew was from her brother Eddy since he was always so scared about almost anything. But when she saw Mary smiling and having that conspiratorial glint in her eyes, knowing what she was thinking, she wrenched her hand free of her aunt Mary's.

"I am Wanderer's daughter, I am not your daughter and even if I do share half of your blood, that still does not make you my mother."

Mary pressed both lips together so tightly that Thomasine thought she was going to bleed. "Go." She said, holding back everything else she wanted to say, things Mary knew she would regret and her conscience would never be at ease if she said them.

Thomasine did not think twice, she bowed like a Princess would and left the confines of her mother's mind to her own fortress to wait for her mother.


	20. Introspection

**Introspection****  
**

**~o~**

_"A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other."_

_~ "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens_

"You should know that I will not talk to you." Mary told Wanderer after she found out that Thomasine lied to her saying that she said something awful.

"You know I didn't tell nothing to your little bastard."

_**Don't call her that Mary, she is still my daughter.**_

"It's my womb." She replied "And in any case she is my daughter too or do you forget a little something I saw in your archives such as genetics. Doctor Linacre was kind enough to explain it to me."

_**It's funny you are thinking of him as Doctor. I still can't wrap my mind about it. I like him better as our Healer.**_

"I understand but he is a Doctor. Just because your people have changed the world, doesn't mean I have to accept your structure. I make my own rules, remember?"

**_Yes I remember, I also remember that they nearly got you killed._**

"True, but I survived didn't I?"

Wanderer didn't discuss any further. She stepped into the other room and began comforting Thomasine.

Thomas where are you? She wanderer while Mary was wondering the same thing, only about Ned and not Thomas, her lover. She was beginning to lose hope he would ever come.

"I wish he was here mommy." Thomasine told her keeping her distance from Eddie, knowing that the other woman mommy who was always hostile to their race had finally bonded with her brother and would not like it if she didn't kept her distance from him.

"I know but he may not come back and we have to accept that as we have to accept all things." She told her and although she tried to be cold, Thomasine could hear the anguish in her voice.

"Like what God gives us?"

"Did Aunt Mary tell you that?"

"No, Eddie." She said motioning to her brother. She was going to break her rule this time for her mother and Eddie. He could not go another day without talking to her and he too, was beginning to worry that his father would not be coming back for them.

"Eddie come, come it's alright. She's not going to harm you." Thomasine said, waving her hand at her brother, motioning him to come.

Her kind voice convinced him. He walked slowly to his mother's look alike, her Soul. "Are you Thomasine's mommy? I never got the chance to meet you properly, excuse my appearance. My mother says I should watch myself better before my elders."

"You mean you should behave better before your elders?" Wanderer corrected him in a gentle voice, smiling at his propriety. He was definitely Mary and Edward's child.

"Yes, I am not very smart lady aunt, so I make a lot of mistakes."

"That's alright, we all make mistakes. The key is not making them by accepting we are wrong and trying to perfect ourselves and you have just taken that first step." She said poking his nose, he giggled then asked: "Can I hug you?"

"Of course."

He jumped and Wanderer caught him, wrapping her arms around his tiny body while he in turn, wrapped his arms around her neck. He looked down on his sister, just to make sure she would not be plagued by negative feelings of envy but he saw that she wasn't.

He looked back at Wanderer and surprised her by giving her a kiss at her right cheek. "Thank you, for being so kind and beautiful, I don't think I have ever met someone so beautiful in spirit as you, except my mother."

Wanderer returned his words, saying with equal kindness. "Thank you little one, I consider myself fortunate too for having you and Thomasine."

He rested his head on his sister's lap after she put him down. If it weren't for her eyes she could have been his mother. They were both alike in spirit as in mind. If only the two women could see that, things would be far easier for him and his sister.

Thomasine passed her hand through his blond hairs and grabbed her other free hand, his thumb caressing her soft skin. Even if they were different, even if they had different mommies, they were still the same, in mind, and spirit just as Mary and Wanderer.

* * *

Thomas gazed at the stars. He stepped back, closing the windows in front of him then wheeled back and shifted his gaze to the Cardinal, the Archbishop of York and Bishop of Lincoln now as well. "You've rose very high Cardinal." His brother said.

"It's only for the best, I assure you." He told Edward, with that sadistic smile of his that hid many secrets.

Ned did not hesitate to ask, this was not the time for games. "Where are they keeping her? And why are there no cameras here?"

He smirked. "That, is the only thing you can trust us humans with, these Souls in contrast guard each other on pure belief that every Soul is pure and trustworthy. And they would not dare question one of their own, especially one who has got them more humans than any Seeker and Special can count."

"You must be very proud."

"Don't be flattering Mister Seymour, we both know the roles we've had to play to keep everyone safe."

"Except you did not lose all your family." Thomas quietly said but to his misfortune Wolsey heard him and said furiously.

"I've done my fair share, what do you call it, dirty work? You wouldn't know about it, all you see is Wanderer as your brother here, the Princess Mary. You believe that your pain is greater than what we are trying to build."

"We? " Both Thomas and Ned asked furiously, at the same time. "Don't tell me you agree with them?" Ned asked furiously.

"Perhaps being around them for so long, you've become one of them. I am certain you like being their pet as you were Henry VIII's dog when he was still King."

Thomas Wolsey's eyes flashed furiously at them but said nothing. He stayed quiet for some minutes, thinking back to his lover, Joan and their two children. Both were gone. Unlike other members of the cloth he was not afraid to show his mistress in public –with minor courtiers of course. She was the mother of his children –or had been before the Souls got to them.

Poor Joan. She was not strong enough to withstand them. She succumbed too easily and their son, so little and weak. He cried when he was taken and he tried to wrestle free of the Soul inserted in him but it had been too late. By the time he had succeeded both him and Joan were inserted and they had faded away. For his daughter. He could not prevent her from being inserted but before she was, against his better judgment he whispered in her ear and told her to be strong as he knew she was, and to remember his words so she could overcome the Soul.

As the trusted advisor to their Overlord he was able to convince him to insert a weak Soul in her. The Soul was inexperienced and cocky as all youths were. It was no match for Lizzie. When she woke up, he abstained himself from looking at her. Knowing that if he saw her and if it wasn't her he saw, it would make him break into tears. But to his great fortune when she heard the words spoken in the same tone and with the same giggle as he always heard when she was human, he knew that she had overcome the Soul.

And now here these two Seymour brothers were accusing him that he did not care and he did not know loss. "I have known loss Mister Seymour and Master Seymour. I have known loss more than you will ever know and I hope you don't. It's one thing to lose a sister to death, and two others to the Souls, and a brother to both; but to lose a son, that has no name."

"You mean both. You have another child Your Grace."

"No, that I do remember but Lizzie, God bless her, I will only say this once before I bore you any further with my life story as it is not relevant to the predicament we are all in; survived the implantation."

"How is that possible?" Edward wondered aloud, his face remaining neutral while Thomas asked away with fouler language and louder than he was supposed to. Both he and Wolsey looked at him with apprehensive looks, warning him to keep his mouth shut and tone down his words unless he wanted them to be caught.

"It is very rare but it has happened. Your wife survived the fall and not only that, she woke the minute Wanderer was inserted in her. It is my belief and that of some Souls that some humans if they are strong of will can maintain their conscience. After all these Soul doctors have said that this" he pointed to his head "is what makes us who we are. But there is also another theory that it is both our hearts and minds that make us who we are and if we are both strong in those areas, than the harder it will be for them to take us."

"You sound like a philosopher." Ned said but couldn't help but agree with him. "And I must be a lunatic but I can't help but agree. Mary is strong, she was not willing to go down without a fight and she could overcome her Soul to the point she could regain control of her body for some period of time at least."

"That is something. Not all Souls are blind in their service to their Overlord Mister Seymour, some like your Wanderer are still rebelling though they are smarter."

"And here I thought that living more lives equaled more wisdom, I guess I was wrong. She certainly does not live up to her name." Ned said and Wolsey agreed with him.

Thomas bit his lip hard. He promised himself he was not going to say anything but he couldn't stand here like this when they were speaking of Wanderer like this.

Just as he was about to open his mouth though, something happened. The room around him dissolved and he found Wanderer before him, her stomach torn open, their child, their baby in the arms of the Seeker.

"Thomas!" He blinked twice. It had all been a dream, a nightmare. But how, when he was awake? And it had felt so real, he could feel Wanderer's pain as she writhed on the floor, her stomach …

He shook his head and looked up at his brother? "Yes?"

Ned looked at him firmly. This was not the time to be dozing off. He turned to Wolsey. "When can we have access to their rooms?"

"You are thinking of your wife as two now? Well, I guess that is normal given the circumstances. You can do it tonight. No one will be looking and the Seeker is being held on _other_ business."

"Good." Edward said. "We will leave at once," He said but Wolsey held a hand up stopping him.

"Not at once, you have to wait one hour. It's when the Healer and all of Her Majesty's Specials leave her chambers."

"All but one." Ned said, knowing this was not going to be easy, by no means. His sister might have been a fool and a lot of things more like the Seeker was, but the Seeker was no fool. She would suspect they would be coming at that hour and place only her best Special.

Wolsey dismissed his worries. "Two strong men such as yourselves can take the Special down."

"Who is he?"

"She. None other than the devil or Stanhopeless yourself." Ned raised an eyebrow. "A little nickname she's earned throughout the years, though it applies more to her victims rather than herself. The woman is smart as she is deadly." Much as your wife –Wolsey left unsaid, looking straight at Edward Seymour.

Edward Seymour had no desires to see that shrew. His marriage to her was terminated the moment she was taken and he let her be taken to save the rest of his family. Though much good it did since he lost Johnny later.

"A woman, she will be an easy task." Thomas said.

"Not just any woman, I am afraid you didn't hear me Master Seymour but this woman is not like the other Specials, she is one step away from becoming a Seeker and she wants to make a good impression on Her Majesty. She will not blink twice to kill you both or hand you over to your sister."

"She is not my sister and it is not my wife any longer. My true wife is being held in this palace and it's up to you Wolsey to get us there."

"I've told you all I can Mister Seymour, the rest is up to you. Wait one hour, when the clock strikes nine, your non-wife" Wolsey said with a sarcastic smile as Ned was used to seeing on him, "will be placed there. Then and only then you can make your move. But always keep your eyes open. Once you have her, it will not be an easy escape. There will be guards outside the palace and those Seekers, I can assure you are very well trained."

"So is the former shrew I married. I care not who I have to face as long as I have my wife back." Ned said lastly then turned his back and began preparing (along with his brother) his rescue of Wanderer and Mary.


	21. Lonesome Hill

**Lonesome Hill  
**

**~o~**

_"I now walk into the wild."_

_~Jon Krakauer_

"Wanderer" Wanderer woke up to Thomas' face. Was she dreaming?

Guessing what she was thinking he shook his head. "You are not." He answered her. "We have come to take you home."

"But Thomas, the child-"

"The children will be fine, you can still run can't you? And besides it won't be some time until you give birth, now come on."

She got out of bed helped by Thomas and his brother, her host's husband who gave her a hard look once they exited her chamber and she looked in horror at the unconscious Souls that had been guarding her door. "I am sorry." She whispered to them.

**Why do you say you're sorry? They would have killed your Thomas and Edward if given the chance.**

**_They wouldn't. We are not like that._ **Wanderer responded but it made no difference, Mary still saw them as the enemy although her opinion of a few was changing after her last conversation with Healer Linacre.

Just as they were about to make it out of the palace (after Wolsey had turned down the defenses) they were greeted by their least favorite Seeker. "Hello Wanderer." She said raising her gun at her.

She gasped. Thomas put himself in front of her, Ned has his musket ready. It would be no match for the Head Seeker's weapon of choice, but if he was faster it would do enough damage.

Another white clad woman came to the Head Seeker's aid; the only difference in her clothing was the black stripe in the middle of her vest which symbolized her status as a Special.

Specials were just as deadly yet they lacked the strength to lie. It was not within their nature to lie, she had explained to Mary, so only a few Specials did pass the final step and overcame their nature for the good of their people and became Seekers.

Seeing the determined look on the Special's face, both Wanderer and Mary could tell she would face no problem becoming one.

"Anne." Edward said, surprised to see his late wife.

"You remember your late wife brother? You abandoned her to be with your whore."

"She is not my whore, she is my wife and that is not my wife!"

Jane laughed in response and walked forward, clutching her weapon tighter as she aimed at the bane of her existence.

"Do not come forward." Cried Evan, his look one of pure hatred as he looked at the two people who had always ignited the strongest emotions in him. One was a shrew who slept with whatever she could find, men, women, even their serfs and the other his sweet sister who had always been quiet, pleasing, and never failed to help her family when needed.

He began to realize as she continued walking that his fingers trembled and his palm was sweaty, and the gun was slipping from his fingers.

"You can't kill me. You can't even push the trigger against your own sister."

"My sister died a long time ago and no one regrets it more than me. Whatever you are, you are not my sister."

Jane smirked. "Oh brother, you were always too quick to judge." Inside her head the Head Seeker heard the voice of her host saying You will never win. Her response was taking a step forward.

Edward was about to fire when the former Anne Stanhope rushed against him and faster than he could have imagined, took his weapon and pinned him to the ground.

Now the two women were aiming at Wanderer. Anne twisted Ned's arm with a force that surprised even Thomas who never knew the woman for being strong physically.

**Ned!** Mary screamed from inside her head.

No! She thought, not wanting to believe this was the end of their journey.

**I am sorry Wanderer.**

**_I am sorry too Mary. She said, projecting herself before their children to reassure them that everything was going to be well._**

As the Seeker's finger neared the trigger, the Special turned her weapon on Jane and shot her at her shoulder. Thomas and Wanderer looked at each other in shock. **Ned!** Wanderer had almost forgotten about Mary's husband. He was still being held down by the Special's boot, he attempted to get away during her brief distraction when shooting the Head Seeker but the Special's reflects were quicker.

"Stay back." She told them. "My quarrel is not with you, you two can go. I know all about Wolsey, Owen Cullen, your mother, everything."

"Then why don't you shoot us?'

"Because as I stated my quarrel is not with you. More Seekers will be coming, go!"

Thomas grabbed her shoulder but Wanderer shook him off, giving control to Mary to plead for her husband's life. "Please!"

"I said stay back!" Anne shouted and in that moment Mary saw the truth in her eyes, she was not a Soul, she was still… Anne Stanhope!

Anne chuckled as she saw Edward's pitiful wife realize the truth. "It's true. Your husband-rather my husband- thought so poorly of me. When he abandoned me to the Seekers, he thought I would not overcome the insertion as his useless sister over there."

"That's impossible, I saw you being inserted!" Ned shouted, coughing as she pushed her boot harder against him.

Anne turned to him. "What you saw Ned is your wife being inserted by one of those disgusting slugs." She spat at him.

"Nobody survives-"

"Your royal wife did. And she's really pretty Ned." She said, her expression turned scornful. "I could never give you the children you wanted so you took her and you mated with her."

"Please do not hurt her." Ned said, hoping his voice would distract her so she'd point her gun at him.

"I do not intend to. You on the other hand will die knowing that you failed both of your wives." She said and pointed her gun at him. He closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable to come.

* * *

Everyone in the palace heard the gunshot. Their Overlord was informed of their daughter's kidnapping.

"She is certainly living up to her name, Wanderer." Wolsey said as he stepped away to let His Majesty into his office. A smile decorated his lips.

* * *

"Ned! Ned!" Mary gave a wild cry. It took Thomas forever to pull her away from his body. No! Ned!

"Ned!" She gave one last roar before collapsing in Thomas' arms.

"Take her out of here!" Anne shouted as she heard the hooves of the horses coming their way. "Go! Wait" She called as Thomas carried Mary and his loved one Wanderer in his arms.

"What?" Thomas asked frustrated, his heart was beating fast, something told him that Ned wasn't dead but he looked stiff as a board, there was no denying it. He was dead as a doornail, yet …

No! He had to think of Wanderer, Mary, their safety and the safety of their children, especially his child.

Anne gestured to the writhing figure of the Head Seeker. "Take her with you." Anne said.

Thomas have a great bark of laughter. Take that bitch?! He thought, voicing his thoughts aloud as she said once again, this time in a begging tone that left no room for questioning that Anne somehow cared (or rather pitied) this poor creature.

Not wasting any time and hearing the others coming closer, he took the Head Seeker's writhing body and with great effort ran away with both women.

* * *

**Author's Note: The title is a reference to the bible and the song "Abraham's Daughter" of the movie Hunger Games where I took some inspiration as from the adaptation of the book The Host (which if you've seen it, there are clues at the end how this will end ;)). In the bible Abraham listening to God, took his longed-for (legitimate) son Abraham to a lonesome hill where he was told to kill him to please God then God sent an angel telling him it was not necessary because he had proven himself a blind-follower of the Lord. You can see some references to that here with Thomas and Ned defending Wanderer and Mary no matter what and Anne and the Seeker being the hands of death.  
**


	22. Fading

**Fading**

**~o~**

"_Death is only the beginning."_

_~ The Mummy (1999)_

"It must hurt to see him thus." Wolsey lied smiling as they healed Edward Seymour. Such a shame, he thought. He could have used him, keep the Princess satisfied but Edward Seymour was too grained on his beliefs to be dissuaded. A true shame. His father on the other hand and his siblings had been so easy to manipulate, but alas there is one in every family who inherits wits.

"Will he remember anything?" Anne asked the Healer. Upon his capture, she had been promoted to Head Seeker yet the King showed no interest in her and for that Anne was grateful. She considered both Henry and the Overlord disgusting. She had only agreed to be in the Soul's service because she wanted to find _him_. Now that he was in her power, he would forget all about_ her_ and return to Anne. _Where he belongs_, she thought coming forward and giving him the kiss of life.

Ned stirred. The Healer applied another sedative. His body relaxed. Anne withdrew her lips and looked at the physician. She would never think of him as anything else. In spite of what these slugs had done to her, she still had dominion over her body and the Soul they inserted had been weak, revealing that these slugs were nothing more than pathetic meaningless parasites. She could squash one under her boots and feel pleasure coursing through her body as she watched its glow fade from its body.

Her smile widened as Healer Linacre made an incision at the back of Ned's neck and inserted the sluggish being.

It took less than two minutes for Ned to overpower it; however the battle from within had left his mind more damaged and when he opened his eyes he could not remember anything of the past events except for … "Anne." He whispered. What am I doing here?

She answered his unasked question giving him the first genuine smile he had seen in her for years. It took him slightly aback. Owen emerged from his hiding spot, so did Henry Seymour, Linacre's assistant.

"Henry?" Ned asked bewildered by everyone's eyes. The blue glow in their eyes dimmed as they got closer and Henry helped his brother up.

He had not known the operation would be this successful. The Soul they had implanted was new, a mere clone. An experiment Davidson had said of its former self. When Henry asked whose Soul was it cloned from, Davidson answered with a shrug then pointed to himself.  
He was one of the few in the Resistance who was willing to work with the humans. He smirked. What the humans did not understand was that they were here to stay. His species would not leave yet he did not agree with his Overlord's methods of taking over the planet. They had learned to co-exist in other worlds why not this one?

You know why, he said to himself. Of course the humans were not the best species to live with, yet it was possible, Wolsey, Anne, Henry, Mary and countless others had proved so. And now, he thought as his gaze fell on the eldest Seymour, Master Edward as well.

* * *

Mary woke up but she was not in her body anymore. She was in Wanderer's fortress of solitude. Their children as instructed were keeping their distance from her. She told them not to be afraid but they refused to acknowledge her. Suddenly she felt a great pain in her chest as the past events came back to her.

Oh Ned! She thought and sobbed violently. She could still see his body lying there. And Thomas! That backstabbing no good son of a bitch! Why had he done this?

She yelled "Wanderer!" But no answer. "Why are you doing this for me?" She screamed two more times scaring the already frightened children and forcing them to run away from the distraught woman.

Again no answer.

Mary succumbed to the darkness and let herself be taken. She didn't care anymore. Pain, death, life. What did it matter? Ned was gone and he was never coming back.

* * *

Wanderer succumbed to the pain. It is time, she thought. She tried to reach Mary but she had blocked her for the last seven months of their pregnancy.

_**Please Mary!**_ Wanderer shouted in their mind. _**If you don't come the baby could die**_. Still no Mary.

It was not until she could feel herself slipping away and she delivered the first child that she heard her.

**Wanderer, what the hell is going on?**

_**Dear God Mary you are here!**_

**Of course. I was only gone for three hours**.

_**No, you were gone for seven months.**_

**What? No! I was gone for three hours, I did the exact counting**.

Wanderer didn't dispute that fact. Souls that were trapped because they were overpowered by humans in their minds, barely took notice of the time elapsed during their stance in their host's mental prisons. She guessed it was the same for humans.

It didn't matter now. She told Mary that the birth had started and relayed to her everything that had happened since she had shut herself from the world.

**My baby?** Mary was excited, Wanderer could feel her happiness and hear her sobs and thoughts as she thought of Ned.

_**He looks just like your husband.**_

**Oh Ned**!

_**Mary! This is not the time for mourning. We still have one last child to deliver.**_

**Oh what is the use Wanderer? With Ned gone, what is the use in living? Look at us. You were right, we should have stayed in the palace. There is nothing for us here.**

_**No! I refuse to believe that.**_ Wanderer said surprising herself. She was not used to having outburst but Mary was annoying her, she was giving up because she believed she was nothing without Ned but she was wrong. Wanderer was committed to let her see that.

Mary, Ned is not gone. He lives in your son. Oh Mary if you only saw him, you'd realize how alike they are. He even has his eyes.

Really? Mary asked and Wanderer could almost see the younger woman's head perked up.

Yes. Wanderer answered. He is just like your husband and …

Their conversation was interrupted as another pain hit her and Wanderer opened her eyes. She could hear Thomas and the rest of the women screaming at her again, willing her to push.

"I can-not …" she said wishing the pain would just stop.

Margery Seymour looked like she was about to slap her to knock some sense into this useless slug when Catalina whispered in her ear –"It's alright to be scared. I was scared too when I first gave birth."

This brought Mary into action, their minds becoming one as they said in a single voice that was neither one or the others' but a single being joined for their concern of the unborn child. "Y-you were?"

Catalina nodded. She could see the poor Soul scared and her lover was no better trembling as he saw the blood.

"I did not have my husband by my side nor my mother or my family. Queens were supposed to be attended by their women."

"That's barbaric!" Wanderer screamed as she gave another push but it only made the pains worse. Please Thomasine, please daughter! She pleaded acknowledging the girl for the first time as her own.

The girl as if hearing her mother's plight abandoned her fortress of solitude and returned to her body, and prepared for the birth.

Catalina smiled sadly, remembering all the times she had been alone without her friends and family. She thought her ladies were her friends but she was wrong. Allies do not equate friends –her mother always said –but she was too stubborn to see it. She had believed, even in the darkest of times when she faced her husband's wrath, that she had friends.

Wanderer clutched the Spanish Princess' hand tighter as another contraction came. Then another, then another …

Cries echoed through the entire palace as the German midwife declared in broken English: "It is a girl!"

Margery snatched the babe from the midwife's arms after they cleaned her. Thomas was also eager to see her but hearing Wanderer's soft whimpers he became alarmed and he turned to his lover.

Her eyes were closed, her body was stiff and she had a peaceful smile on her lips. He smiled back and made his way towards her but a hand stopped him.

"She needs her rest." Catalina said, coming to sit next to her.

Thomas nodded and gave one last look at her before going to his mother to see his daughter for the first time.

* * *

Wanderer looked down on Mary, she was laying down on her back, immobile. The only sign of life were her eyes that were still opened but remained unfocused. "We must wake up." She told her.

"No, you must wake up." She said giving a sad, enigmatic smile. "Wanderer, I blamed you for Ned's death. I blamed your species for every evil that happened to my mother and me. I blamed you for my son and Thomasine, I am sorry."

"There is no need to apologize Mary, you were angry. If I had been in your position I would probably have blamed me as well."

"No. It is my fault. I believed … actually I was certain that if I died while you were giving birth to Thomasine that I would have Ned back, I felt that in a way it would be doing justice for all that was done to me-"

"Mary-"

"Let me finish. I am sorry Wanderer. I believed I could be strong-"

"You are strong."

"-but I am not, with Ned gone there is no purpose left for me."

Wanderer's eyes widened and Mary's smile increased. One of her limbs moved and Wanderer took her hand and as she leaned forward, Mary whispered in her ear. "Goodbye Wanderer. Take care of our children."

"Mary no, your son needs you."

"He has you and I have seen in his memories since his cries echoed in Cleves' palace, how he acts when Thomas is around. He loves my boy and Eddie loves him. I know he will be happy but I want him to do something for me."

"Yes, anything I will make sure he does it."

"Tell Thomas to tell him about Ned and that he died protecting us."

"I cannot-"

"Lie. Do it for me."

"Wanderer." Mary said strongly, her eyes piercing Wanderer's. "I am not asking."

She looked down. Mary was fading away, she would be free to live her life with Thomas yet this knowledge only made her sadder. "I will miss having you in my head."

"And I will miss screaming at you."

They smiled, then Wanderer taking her other hand yielded to Mary's promise.

"Wanderer." Said Mary as she could feel herself fading away.

"Yes … sister?"

Mary's smile widened as she heard Wanderer call her 'sister'. She did not know whether she should tell Wanderer the truth. No, perhaps not. The Souls would never understand. Even if they said they did, they didn't. Most likely Wanderer's emotions came because she had been inside Mary for so long and had never experienced strong emotions as these. If she told the old Soul that Ned was still alive she knew Wanderer would run away to confront Wolsey and Anne for their deception. She would endanger not only herself but their children and the Resistance as well.

Wanderer did not understand many things and one of them was that the war between Souls and humans was fated to end. The Souls were not going anywhere, more were coming and nothing could change that.

She and Ned had failed to see that.

Mary just kept on smiling and said nothing. She let go of Wanderer's hand then almost in an instant she was gone.

When Wanderer opened her eyes she found Thomas staring back at her. "I heard you moan Mary's name. Is she giving you any trouble."

"No," she said sadly. "Not anymore."

* * *

The Seeker smirked as she saw the little wench next to her human lover. "Would you leave me alone with her?"

"Does that include me too?" Thomas asked, shooting a death glare to the Seeker but this only made her grin wider.

Wanderer touched his shoulder, giving him a pleading look. "I guess it does then." He said and stepped away to let her in. There were guards at each door of the dome where she was being kept. The Seeker knew this very well and she was not going to try to escape.

"So is it Wanderer or do they call you Mary now?"

"Why did you follow us? Why couldn't you just let me go like the other runaway Souls?"

"Because I was right." She said approaching Wanderer, to her chagrin she didn't cower like the other times. "So they brought you here to kill me? Tell me why did you waste your medicine on me?"

"I didn't. My host's mother did."

"Your host ... so she is dead then. Good, you finally did something right."

"Why do you hate the humans so much? No other Soul was as cruel as you."

Her expression turned serious. "You have seen what they did to their planet, killing each other. It's barbaric. We tried living with them but they are not like the other species we've inhabited. We can't live together."

That's what you think -Wanderer thought, wishing she could have the will that Mary did to speak her mind but she remained silent and listened through the woman's rant. When she was finished she spoke in a serene tone. "It would be easier to kill you. The Duke of Cleves says with you the danger dies."

"And you are going to listen to the Duke of nothing? Why do you think our Overlord, your father, has not attacked this petty realm? Look around you. He could have attacked Cleves any time he wanted, he didn't. Why do you think that happened?"

"You know, don't you? She told you before she faded away. I had suspected for some time that there were rebels within our species, I never imagined your Healer was one of them." She chuckled, ashamed of her own folly. "I guess this is the end for me. You haven't kept me in locked up so long just to release me."

Wanderer said nothing. She had considered what Catalina and the Duke of Cleves and the rest of the remaining human refugees said. It would have been much easier to kill her but then where would that leave her?

Mary left her son in her hands in the belief that she was a good woman.

"I am not going to kill you Seeker." She finally said turning on her heel and calling on Thomas to open the door for her. He did so and she briefly turned. "But I am not going to forgive you either." she said then turned away and left the cell.

* * *

"What do you plan to do with her then?" Thomas asked as they sat in the Duke's solar. His palace had the best of both worlds' security. Courtesy of Wolsey, she thought grimly.

She wished Mary had told her the truth; she would have confronted her husband and forced his wife to reveal the truth to him. But alas! To borrow from Mary's expression, it was too late now.

"Exile."

"Exile?" Asked William Cleves, his voice rising as he looked at the old Soul. "She's killed hundreds of our species and captures more than a million and turned them into one of ..."

"Yes Your Grace?"

William sighed. "Nothing." He turned to Catalina. "Do you approve of this? Do you want that alien murderess free to roam around the world and capturing more humans?"

"What does Wolsey say of this?" Asked the former King of France who had lost everything, including his family to the Souls, his eyes were also on the Spanish Princess.

"Wolsey says nothing. He does not know and we will not tell him." Wanderer said before anyone could speak.

"You are gambling with our lives here Mistress Wanderer. How can you be sure that she will keep her promise? Seekers are known to lie." Margery Seymour nee Wentworth said.

"I know. But we will not release her, we will simply exile her to one of the new planets we have just opened up. "

They all stared at her. She turned to Thomas who looked just as dumbfounded as the rest.

Wanderer explained. "We Souls leave the same way we come-"

"Then why don't you go with her?"

"Mother please!" Thomas barked glaring at his mother.

Wanderer continued despite the older woman's minor interruption. "She will not be a danger to any of you."

"How do you know?" Inquired William of Cleves.

"By the time she reaches a new planet your grandchildren would have died of old age."

"But I thought you traveled very fast, if I am not mistaken your Overlord packed some of our best warriors to conquer a new planet."

"Yes but they were not traveling by our standard capsules. When we are sent to a new planet that has already been captured we go into cryo sleep. It's easier for us and we avoid the stress of war. It's how most of my kind came to your planet.

"So you had been planning our invasion for a long time then?" Margery asked glaring at the sluggish fiend.

"Yes."

The Duke of Cleves seemed to ponder on the Soul's suggestion. "Are you sure her trip will be a long one?"

"Yes, I am certain."

William sighed and agreed to her request and called for his court physician but Wanderer stopped him. "Let me do it."

"You are not a physician Mistress Wanderer."

"No but any Soul can take one Soul out of the body. For years you have tried to replicate our methods but have failed and ended up killing both the host and the Soul. I can teach you how."

"Then teach us Mistress Wanderer but let me warn you if this is another one of your species' ploy-"

"It's not a ploy Your Grace, unlike your species, my species does not lie."

William pressed both lips together and clenched his fists. Catalina was right. The alien wench was feisty and he hated her because she was right. Souls did not lie, he had learned that when they began capturing young Specials who were too inexperienced and naive youths who succumbed quickly under their torture methods.

He waved his hand and ordered her to be escorted to the medical wing where the Seeker had been sedated.

It didn't take long to take the Soul out. "It feels the hatred, your pain. You have to coax it out with positive feelings otherwise it will reject you." She explained and as she held the Soul in her hands she passed it on to Thomas who momentarily felt the need to throw it and squash it under his boot but hearing Wanderer's voice, pushed those thoughts away.

Wanderer took the capsule the Duke's men had stolen and opened it and gently Thomas guided the Soul into it. The capsule closed and there was a faint blue light followed by a red one that told them the Seeker had entered cryo.

She gave Thomas a grateful look and whispered "Thank you"

Their moment was interrupted by a loud gasp at the other side of the room where the body of the Seeker's host, Thomas' sister, Jane Seymour, lay.

Not so dead as they thought she rose and she looked everywhere to make sure she wasn't dreaming. "Good ... Good heavens!" She exclaimed raising her hands and touching every part of her body to make sure it was her doing it.

"Jane?" Thomas asked, his eyes widened as his sister recognized his voice and run to him, twining her arms around his neck.

"Thomas!"

"Jane! I thought you were dead, me and Edward..."

"I know. I know. I was dead. For years I have been screaming, when the Seeker pointed her gun at our brother I was screaming, hoping you would hear me, I tried establishing a mental connection but every time you would reject me-"

"The nightmare, it was you?" He asked horrified and ashamed that he hadn't figured it out.

Jane nodded and cried frantically, her hands cupping his brother's face. "You grew whiskers. It's certainly more becoming of you."

She laughed and Thomas laughed with her. She turned to Wanderer. "Thank you."

"You are the reason the Seeker would not let us go. She said she made a secret pact."

Jane suddenly looked ashamed and she turned to the Princess Dowager. No, Queen! -Her mind racked now that she didn't have the intrusive presence of the Seeker inside her.

"I am sorry Your Majesty, the Seeker told me that if I gave in I would have my brother back."

"But you did not believe her."

"No, I told her I would not fade until I had my brother Johnny with me. She promised me he would not be inserted."

How foolish you were Mistress Jane. Catalina wanted to say but she kept her silence. The poor woman had been through enough already, it wouldn't do her any good to be reminded of her own stupidity.

Jane's lips suddenly curved upward into a smile remembering she was a proud Aunt. She asked Thomas about her niece and nephew.

"Are they healthy? What are their names?"

"Edward, the eldest is Edward and you can imagine he is just as his namesake but more needy and shy." Jane giggled remembering her brother being the same when he was a child.

"And the girl? I want to meet her. I heard she is very especial."

"She is" Wanderer answered for him, unsure whether she should trust her or not.

"She is our little jewel." Thomas said describing how the child never cried, not even when she was born. Not one single cry, he repeated and went on to tell her that despite her tender age she could understand everything that was said to her perfectly and she could read and write (although not intelligibly).

"That is impossible. She must be only one."

"One and a half." Wanderer answered for him once again. "She possesses some of my genetic material that makes her more advanced than other humans, including Souls her age."

Jane looked worried. She wanted to meet this niece of hers. Thomas had always been her favorite brother but she was worried for the poor girl. Wanderer did not seem to be a very emotive person. She hoped when she met her, she could give her the love and support that came naturally to turn her more normal.

Jane and the rest of the party went to the children's rooms where she met her niece and nephew. And almost sensing what the other woman was going to do, Thomasine looked at her mother first for approval then when she nodded, she twined her pale arms around the older woman's neck and kissed her cheek.

"She is beautiful. You are truly lucky brother." Jane said earnestly then her eyes fell on the beautiful boy next to her, raising his arms eager for love.

Jane recognized him as her eldest brother's child and took him in his arms and showered him with kisses. Poor mite, she thought. He reminded her of her son. Poor Edward, she had never grown close to him. He was the Seeker's child, not hers. But this child, this was entirely her brother's and although he was not as special as his sister, he was also pre-born. And Jane knew that in the wrong hands these children could grow twisted and as the Souls believed, into true abominations.

She gave him one last kiss before putting him down and leaving the nursery with the Soul Wanderer and her brother Thomas.


	23. Ash and Rebirth

**Ash & Rebirth**

**~o~**

"_All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream."_

_~Edgar Allan Poe_

**Five years later…**

Mary, or Wanderer as Jane had gotten used to calling her now that her host was gone, nuzzled in Thomas' neck as he left a trail of kisses down her face. One of his hands was on her bottom while the other was on her neck descending to her chest.

Jane looked at their driver, Katherine Howard who shook her head and laughed at their outrageous behavior as she looked to her front mirror.

They had passed the London bridge, a magnificent piece of architecture where all these new vehicles the Souls had brought with them on their last return from the new planet they conquered, passed. Yet today there were not many vehicles.

It took Kitty a year before she learned how to ride these things. Wanderer of course taught her but she had been reluctant at first. It's not every day you have to rub shoulders with your friend's killer.

She guessed she should not see it that way. After all, she knew Mary and she knew it had been her friend's decision to fade away. She only wished she had not done so for their children.

Thomas brought her lips to his and kissed her with such force they heard her moan and whisper his name.

"Alright, that is enough you two." She said and they reluctantly obeyed her after Thomasine pulled her mother's sleeve and Eddie made a disgusting noise.

"What's wrong lad? You will do it someday."

"No, I won't. I will never like girls." Eddie said, twisting his face in disgust as Thomas whispered something naughty in Wanderer's ear, which made her giggle.

"Get a room."

Everyone in the floating vehicle laughed.

"God's blood!" Kitty swore seeing through her side mirror white speeders approaching. "Damn it."

"What?"Jane asked, twitching her lips as she saw the sirens of the white vehicles behind them. She swore silently.

"Pull over." Thomas told the young woman. "They will catch us if we don't."

"They will certainly catch us if we do." Kitty threw back.

"Kitty listen to what he says. We cannot outrun them. I know the Seekers, there are probably more coming."

With a heavy heart Kitty was forced to accept the reality of their situation and pulled over. It was all over.

"Nobody gets caught." Thomas said, and ordered everyone to put on their glasses, including Eddie's who despite the shining blue glow in his already sparkling blue eyes, was not as sparkling as the Souls.

"Do I put sun glasses too mommy?" Thomasine asked her mother whose eyes glowed with worry. "No, you are fine darling, just remember to do as your father told you and you will be alright."

"But what if the bad men catch us? I have seen them from your memories and all of Aunt Mary's ancestors' memories what they are capable of. I can feel their pain right now."

"Do not think of your Aunt Mary right now sweetheart, just think about you and your brother and how much fun you will have when we get home. We will play in the gardens your Aunt Jane planted for you, we will have some new food-"

"Mommy you are lying, you said our species does not lie."

"No, they don't but your mother has adapted to our ways and you are not fully Soul, Thomasine, you are also human, but more importantly you are my daughter, my Tommy's girl and you are allowed to lie." Thomas said leaning across the back seat and kissing his daughter's forehead then poking his nose.

Thomasine gave him an open smile and kissed his nose. "I promise not to fail you papa."

"Of course you won't, you are my daughter. I am already proud of you sweeting. Just act natural and let me and your mother do all the talking."

Thomasine nodded and stayed still. Eddie clutched her hand and she looked down at her fraternal twin and half-brother.

How easy it would be to him. She thought but then she guessed not. Like her he had been pre-born yet he was not cursed with the memories of thousands of generations dating all the way back to the first ancestor of the Seymour and Tratasmara and Tudor line, as well as her mother's memories from her past hosts and their memories.

When she was three she had gone to the nearest Soul facility, thinking perhaps they could fix her. She heard what the other human children in Cleves said about them. That they were demons, monsters, abominations; "Nobody wants you," they would say.

Before she could cross the fence her father had found her and returned her to Cleves. He had asked her why had she disobeyed them and gone seeking her death. She had cried and told him she hadn't, she only wanted to get fixed so she wouldn't be plague with these images, this knowledge that she did not want to. Her father knelt down and told her she was special.

"But I do not want to be special. I want to be normal. Eddie gets bullied too but at least he is human, he does not have mama's eyes like I do."

Thomas was at a loss what to say. He knew what to expect when Wanderer told him of their child. He knew all the obstacles she would have to face, all the taunts, all the hatred, all the ignorance from both sides. And yet, whenever he saw her kneeling before her brother, whispering comforting thins to his ear and rescuing stray dogs and nursing them back to health, there was no doubt on his mind that there was more humanity in her than Soul. For those were human things and despite Soul being united and living in harmony, they did not feel with empathy the way humans felt at the sight of something injured.

His answer to her had been putting his head against hers, as Wanderer had taught him. She said it was an old Soul technique that her race used with one another to transmit positive thoughts when the other was distressed. He had seen Wanderer do it several times to Eddie and Thomasine. He decided to try it, being her biological father he guessed it would work.

"Close your eyes." He said and she obeyed. He took his handkerchief and cleaned her tears, then he focused on the one memory that always brought him happiness.

She opened her eyes and so did he and he saw a smile on her face.

"Do you like it? How do you feel?"

"Thank you." She said and twined her arms around his neck.

"You are my special little girl and not because you are special here," he touched her forehead. "but because you are special to me in here." He touched her heart. "You are more human than you know and that is not a bad thing. You feel different, that's very human. You saw that memory of me and your Aunts and Uncles running around." She nodded. "I showed you that so you can see that even amongst our kind, the most normal of us can feel out of place but even with all our differences we always stuck together."

"Do you miss them?"

"I do, but they live in my memories and that brings me comfort. But you know what gives me more comfort? You." He rubbed his thumb against her cheek. She was like him in every way, except for her eyes that despite her sapphire color had that glow that was distinctive of all Souls. "You and your mother are the best thing that ever happened to me and I would not trade you for all the normalcy in the world."

"What about the other children?"

"If they have something to say, give them a dose of their own medicine. It's what I did."

"Aunt Jane says you always behaved."

"Aunt Jane wasn't there when I put cow dung in your Uncle Ned's boots."

Thomasine gasped.

"Yes I did."

"That was not playing fair papa." She said hitting his arm.

"Got me his respect, the same as it will get you their respect. Except you are a lady and I would not want your pretty little hands dirty with cow dung."

"I am not a lady!" She said and hit his arm again. Thomas was attacked by a fit of laughter and said to his pouting daughter: "Of course you are not, you are my daughter, but I am just saying. Your grandmother would be very mad, she says you have to act more like a lady."

"I do not want to be a lady. I want to be a fighter like you and mommy."

Thomas was brought to the present when the speeders surrounded them and the first Seeker stepped out.

"Yes?" Kitty asked, giving a calm smile.

"A little bright for night-time, isn't it?" He asked sarcastically.

He was a dark skinned, dark haired with deep brown orbs with the natural glow around his eyes, common of every Soul.

He took his flashlight and looked at everyone in the speeder, his eyes fixating on the two children. He gave a sardonic smile. "Everyone out."

"Seeker, I do not think-"

"I said everyone out. Now."

He lined everyone up, including the two children. "Take off your sun-glasses."

They looked at each other, and Wanderer opened her mouth but before she could utter any word, the Seeker spoke with in a more commanding voice. "I said take them."

This was it. There was no use running anymore, they had been caught; this had been the end of the line for them. One by one they took off their sun-glasses.

"Human, human, human …" The Seeker said as he passed every one of them, his flashlight then fell on the blond-haired little boy whose eyes were incredibly bright not bright enough to pass as a Soul. He just grinned at the boy then moved to the mother and daughter.

"Soul." He said with a wider grin. "Are you two their prisoner?"

"Yes." Thomas said before she could.

"No!" Wanderer yelled, taking hold of his hand. "These are my friends."

The Seeker seemed unmoved by her confession, he turned to his companions and yelled. "It's alright. They are human."

They came from their speeders, wearing white coats, some black, but they were all suited. Yet as they approached, to her surprise they were all human!

"You are all … human. How can this be? I thought Cleves was the last place-" She was interrupted by the low laugh of one of them.

"We have been supplying the Resistance with weapons since its creation. When we saw you exceed the standard speed limit, we knew you had to be human."

"Did Wolsey send you?" Jane asked, knowing that Seekers employed every dirty trick. She remembered when she was one using a human slave, promising him immortality and the poor fool believing he would be granted god-like status believed them and had betrayed their comrades. Not soon after he was inserted as the rest.  
Wherever you are, I hope you never have to feel what it's like to lose your own kind as I did. Thought Jane, remembering when she, Thomas, and Wanderer had sent the Seeker in her capsule off into space.  
She must be traveling now. Jane wished her all the good fortune in the universe. Wherever she was going.

The young human male shook his head. "No, though the order did come from him but his seconds in command thought it best to give it. They are here with us now." He said and stepping aside, he motioned for a pair of Seekers that had emerged from one of the speeders.

Wanderer nearly gasped but she restrained herself and sent a mental command to Eddie to restrain himself too. But the boy was too distraught. 'Papa'. He thought. He felt a strong impulse to run and extend his arms so he could be embraced but those thoughts came to an end when Thomasine clutched his hand and told him he didn't remember him anymore and killed his dream.

Jane however could not contain herself and exclaimed "Edward!"

Ned nodded, his eyes shining bright blue, the familiar Soul glow around his irises, yet Jane could see nothing of those slugs in him. He gave her his playful grin. "Yes sister. Thomas, I see you have taken good care of our family." He said motioning for his brother to come. His gaze momentarily fell on the two children next to his lover, Wanderer. "Are they your children?"

"Yes." Thomas said, swallowing hard as he looked back to Eddie, giving him an apologetic smile.

He looked back to his brother, his gaze shifting from him to Anne. "I thought you were dead."

"I was dead but Anne here rescued me. I did not think I would see you all again. You must be the legendary Wanderer, you certainly live up to your name and everyone in our world talks of you now." Ned said, smiling at the Soul. As he looked from her to her children, he could not help but notice how familiar the boy looked. It was almost as if …

No, he shook that thought from his head. He grabbed Anne's hand who smiled lovingly at her husband.

"Head Seeker, I never thought you were on our side." Wanderer said, not helping herself but be consumed by hatred for the couple. It was in these rare moments where she felt a deep hatred for humans, what the former Head Seeker had felt when she had been inside Jane's head. She became instantly calm when she felt her daughter grab her hand.

"Initially we weren't, but once we realized that Wolsey had overcome insertion, we began to form a group and we are not the only ones, Ned here has also overcome his insertion."

"God bless us. We are not lost." Jane said, feeling hopeful again.

Ned chuckled. It was so typical of his sister to get excited so quick. Hearing the noise of approaching thopters, he ordered everyone on the speeders. The Seeker who had first spotted them introduced himself as William Said and as he escorted Wanderer, Thomas and their children to his speeder, he said "You thought you were the only one who switched sides?" Wanderer flashed him a smile and together for once, they all went together to their new stronghold.

Eddie glanced at his father one last time before he stepped into the Seeker's speeder. He was gone. He realized. And yet it did not surprise him. Thomas ruffled his hair and took him, placing him on top of his knee despite his heavy weight.

No, he was not going to be sad, he decided as his Uncle Thomas (his true father) played with him and told him jokes to alleviate his pain.

Even if he had remembered, there would have been nothing left for him. His mother was dead, there was only pain and loss to return to. At least now he had a family he was free to go to and a wife he did not have to protect. He was truly happy and with this knowledge Eddie smiled remembering what his mother had told him before she died "Jesus tells us to forgive".

Perhaps, Wanderer thought as she looked at her smiling nephew playing with Thomas and her daughter; Jane had been right and there was still hope. For if Souls could learn to live together with humans, it makes you wonder ...

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**Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, favorite and followed this fic. You are awesome1 I hope you enjoyed this last chapter.**


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